Roving Eyes, Dark Intentions:Epic
by Yuhi Sakura
Summary: The sequel to Roving Eyes, Dark Intentions. The peace Sasuke and Sakura have worked so hard for it about to be shattered...maybe forever.
1. Prologue

__

Prologue: Scatterings of Cherry Blossoms and Blood

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! However, the children displayed in this story are the product of my own imagination. Everything else is compliments of Masashi Kishimoto. Arigato.

Sakura walked up the path to the Uchiha complex, her pink pack slung carelessly across her narrow shoulders so it wouldn't catch her hair. She couldn't help but feel some pride in the work she had put into it: Before Sasuke's proposal, it had been dead--a place where hollow echoes reverberated off of the walls that she knew were stained in blood. But then he had asked her:

_"Sakura...I think its time we talk"_ 'Hard to believe its only been a month...' Sakura thought as she climbed the final hill--more of a bump in the road that obstructed her vision. But to her tired legs it was more than enough to make her hesitate before gathering the energy to continue.

_The pink-haired medic swallowed: This was it...it was over. She had expected it. Despite the fact that Tsunade had told them...told them that all of the children were his. It had only made sense, of course. Why mass produce dozens of potential hosts if they all lacked what he so desired: The Sharigan. So, genetically Sasuke had fathered all of them. But how could she blame him for leaving her? I mean, she was so busy they didn't even get to talk maybe but once a week. And she was a ragged mess. Attempting to raise almost three dozen kids when not only seven months earlier she had been a single bacholorette hadn't left much time for anything but missions--to pay the exorbiant food, water, and electric bills--and shifts at the hospital. And after all...he hadn't chosen to be a father... His body had been under the control of a madman. A madman who had raped her. Her very face probably disgusted him..._

_"Will you marry me?"_

_Sakura blanched. The way he said it, he might as well have been asking her to pass the milk. He hadn't knelt down and read her poetry he had composed on long night when the moon shone thorough his window or declared his love for her on her birthday...and it didn't matter. He had taken the plunge. And that was a big deal for the Uchiha._

_"Ye...Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sakura yelped happily as she threw herself into his waiting arms._

_Then the shinobi had pressed his lips to her's, her tears salting the sweet lock._

_"I promise, Sakura," He said as they broke apart, "You will never want for anything. Any of you."_

_By the next day, the Uchiha complex was filled with the laughter of children and the cries of babies who wanted not Sakura's arms but Sasuke's--the loving embrace of their father._

Shaking off the reverie, Sakura looked across the now visible yard. Sasuke was sitting on a bench, a faint smirk playing on his lips. The kids old enough for the Academy--Amaya among them--numbered only three but it was apparent they had just gotten out of school because, as was tradition, after school, all of the kids old enough to play outside of their cribs, went outside.

Not more than a few seconds later, they were swarming their mother. Patiently, she paid them all the attention they desired, bending to kiss and cuddle the smaller ones. And as she stood up, she found herself pressed against Sasuke's chest.

"How was the mission?" He asked, letting the kids return to their play.

"It went well." Sakura replied in a sigh.

"You're tired." He observed in his usual monotone.

She nodded, her eyes already growing heavy as she rested against him.

Sasuke smirked, slinging Sakura effortlessly into his arms and carrying her towards the complex. She grumbled some unintelligable protest but he quickly reassured her she wasn't weak--merely tired--and her protests died away. Opening the ajar door with his foot, he carried her down the dimly lit hallways. It was late in the evening, sunset bathing the village in an orange glow, but not yet time to light the torches the would illuminate the cooridors. With another quick movement, the door to their bedroom opened. Crossing the room in three smooth strides so as not to jostle her, he laid her down in their bed. Gently removing her shoes, he pulled the blanket over her slender shoulders and kisses her forehead. As he left, he closed the door, pausing to glance into the room catty corner to their's where a gold plate was affixed to the wall. And carved into that plate, glistening with the peach colored halo the candles there provided, sparkled her name among the names of all his clan.

Uchiha Sakura.

**Three days later. **

"Now, please be good." Sakura smiled as she knelt in her kimono to say good-bye.

"We will." The younger ones chorused back as she stood back up.

"I love you." She smiled as she slid through the door, Sasuke holding it open for her before passing through it.

"We're late." He stated. He wasn't angry; just stating a fact.

"Yeah." Sakura smiled nervously, "Naruto is probably freaking out."

"He'll be fine." Sasuke replied.

Sakura nodded, fumbling with the kimono. As a kunoichi, she didn't usually wear anything formal--it just wasn't practical when even an ambassadorial meeting could turn deadly in the blink of an eye. So the kimono felt awkward draped across her body.

Sasuke stopped in front of her suddenly, grabbing her shoulders gently. "You look amazing." He told her, uncharacteristically complimenting her. Well, he complimented her all the time, actually--just not outside of their home.

She glanced down, glimpsing the dress: It was the same shade as her hair, slit to her knee with sleeves that belled flatteringly over her slender wrists. The collar was slightly lower than most but it didn't show even a hint of her clevage--it was the obvious difference that made it so alluring to her personally. Her waist was exentuated by an obi that was turquoise and of such a fine quality it looked like water in the moonlight. Across the kimono were hundreds of intricate designs woven in golden thread: Dragons, kanji, and flowing patterns that blended together in a seamless tapestry. Stitched into the obi were flowers and leaves in a delicate silver that was almost invisible until the light struck it at the right angle. Her feet were clad in simple, comfortable, but tasteful shoes.

"Not nearly as amazing as you." She replied more throatily than she intended to.

Sasuke was dressed in a traditional formal robe of deep blue. Across it was emblazoned the Uchiha clan in a shimmering red--literally, the threads colors were layered so that the entired top half appeared to be constructed of hundreds of rubies. The bottom of the insignia was filled in with white cloth that was a clean, stark contrast to the upper half of the symbol. Along the rich navy folds were sewn gradient red designs that moved seamlessly from a light orange red through to a blood red and back in color and design. Naturally, his sword was fastened to his back, the ebony sheath freshly polished.

He gave an amused smirk, "You seem hungry."

"Nothing the vendors can satisfy." She replied.

His smirk shifted ever so slighly as his hand moved to her thigh--where beneath the folds of silk was a dagger.

They were shinobi, after all. Weapons were extensions of their very bodies and without them, they themselves were incomplete--vulnerable.

"Hey, you two! We've been looking everywhere for you!"

Sasuke turned and Sakura--although the voice was distinctly familiar--saw Naruto running up behind Sasuke, waving with an almost child-like glee at them. And as was his custom, he was dressed in formal robes of a blindingly loud orange.

"We?" Sasuke questioned.

"Yeah!" Naruto stepped aside to reveal a rather crimson-faced Hinata.

"Hey, Hinata!" Sakura greeted cheerfully as she embraced the silver-haired heiress gently.

"He...H...ell...He...ll..o...Sa...ku...ra-san...Sas...Sa...Sasuke-s...san..." She studdered as she hid behind the blonde Jinchuuriki.

"Let's get going already!" Naruto whined.

"Alright, alright, dobe." Sasuke muttered, taking Sakura's hand and leading her down a path that was laced with lights.

It was the Spring Festival in Leaf. But of course, their Suna allies would be attending--Sakura knew that somewhere in the crowd, Temari was flirting with Shikamaru as Gaara unwound with Tsunade over sake and took time to discuss ideas outside of their usual political restraints. And of course, Kankuro would be good-naturedly terrorizing troublesome genin.

The streets were lined with vendors, villagers, and shinobi--all just looking for a good time. Already, the smells of the various foods were wafting around them as they wondered the latern-lit streets as the noises washed over them. Games were set up around them with signs that outlined the rules meant to put shinobi on an equal playing field with the villagers.

Sasuke veered slighly to the left rather suddenly. Standing before a very happy older gentleman, he ordered two rice balls. These were of course prepared specially for the festival and wrapped so they could be carried while one wandered the streets without worry over any mess. Handing one to Sakura, he paid the man and took her hand again.

"It's so nice out." Sakura commented as she gazed momentarily at the full moon over them.

He nodded, giving his customary, "Hn." in response.

There was a sudden cry behind them and even though they were well aware it was probably just some chunin who had overindulged in sake and was now getting riled up, they turned instinctively towards the noise. But then the small knot of people surrounding whatever was causing the disturbance gave a collective cry and began shoving their way through the crowds in a desperate attempt to escape.

Something was wrong...

Sasuke reached for the hilt of his katana--but before his fingers could so much as graze it, all hell broke loose: The first explosion tore through only the immediate area but the concussive blasts it triggered ripped apart entire shops around them. The force of the blast threw Sakura to the ground. Consciously, she knew she would get crushed if she didn't get up...but there was no WAY to get up...the villagers were swarming in panic, trampling each other and the shinobi who ran to their aid. And then she was in Sasuke's arms.

Shoving her back, the Uchiha pinned her between a concrete wall and his body, using himself as a shield against their attackers and the panicking villagers. His katana was held defensively against his chest, the blade outward against any possible assault as his arm held her in place against his back.

The entire block was on fire now...the paper laterns disintegrating and eating into clothing boutiques and paper art shops.

"We're going..._now_!" Sasuke ordered as he grabbed her hand and dragged her along. Literally; Sakura's kimono kept catching on her legs, tripping her up and pulling her to her knees before she could right herself. Sasuke pushed her, as gently as he could given the situation, into an allyway. Grabbing the edge that fell highest on her leg, she yanked, the fabric tearing free in a perfect ring that freed her legs up to her thighs.

"The children!" She cried, attempting to run in the opposite direction--against the rapids of the crowds.

Sasuke grabbed her, pulling her close against his chest, and saying, "Anko will take care of them!"

And even though he knew it was true, it hurt to pull her in the other direction because even as her legs moved, her heart moved against them.

They ran, things flying around them as blasts turned harmless objects into deadly projectiles. Sheilding her eyes as best she could against the burning ash in the air, Sakura slammed into Sasuke--who had suddenly stopped, his sword drawn offensively.

Squinting into the blinding wall of fire before them, she saw the flames give way to a shape--a shape that was cloaked in black and adorned in red clouds.

Suddenly Naruto leapt in front of them, a kunai held in his hand so tightly that Sakura could see his knuckles were white even from her position nearly thirty feet back. Sasuke, now moving forward, past her by twenty feet.

"Itachi!" Naruto spat, the tension in his voice making it deeper than it was.

Sasuke stood up, his eyes crimson and the tomoe already spinning.

"Itachi." He said, his voice calm but his eyes blazing and his body coiled.

And as he drew his katana, ready to meet his elder's Sharigan with his own, he realized Itachi wasn't looking at Naruto. The one Sasuke assumed would be his objective. Nor was he looking at Sasuke...No, his eyes were fixed on something behind him.

His eyes were fixed on Sakura.

"Run!" Sasuke yelled, his hands forming seals instinctively.

'Katon! Dragon's Breathe Jutsu!'

The flames tore past his lips, adding to the inferno before them but shielding them from a far greater danger. Pivoting, he lunged at Sakura, his hand finding her's as he ran.

He realized Konoha was falling--it had been too quick, too precise and too deadly. They needed to get out of there...if they all died, no one could come back to claim Konoha--to rebuild it. Glancing at Naruto, he knew by the blonde's nod, that he agreed. And he felt Sakura's overwhelming sorrow at her own agreement.

Motioning to Naruto, he let him fall in before him. The Jinchuuriki flew threw the splintered and limply hanging gates as he followed, his hand loosing Sakura's as he went.

The kunoichi slowed slighly, turning over her shoulder to cover their retreat. And that's when her viridian eyes met a bloody crimson. And her world wobbled and dissolved and was swallowed.

She felt the blades piercing her and heard her own pained screams echo into a darkness and the pain was as real as any she had ever felt. It tore through her, consumed her. The blood rose in the back of her throat, laced in gile and catching on her tongue sickeningly. And no matter how often she told herself it was a genjutsu--the second that passed was three days to her. Three days that stretched into an eternity that was agony itself.

She never fell, her legs kept moving forward, carried by her gained momentum even as her mind was trapped and she escaped after them. As she ran into the forest, she stopped one more time, Sasuke and Naruto perched on the tree limbs above her...

Just in time to see one final explosion destroy everything she had ever known. One more wave that threw her to her knees while a scream escaped her blood-tinged lips.

"NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!"

TBC


	2. AN: New Plot

**_Authoress' Note_**

Okay, so basically I suck and I hated everything about _Epic _aside from the first chapter and now I've deleted most of it. But I have a new story line to go with it, so please don't be too upset. It will get done and be amazing.


	3. Chapter 1

**__**

Chapter One: How Far They've Spread

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! See previous disclaimer for further information.

They walked through the forest.

It would have been faster and stealthier to move in the trees...but they didn't. Sakura took the blame--it was just natural for her to make herself the scapegoat after all those years when she was automatically assumed to be in the wrong, or the weak one. Naruto, of course, protested--saying it was he he was tired. But they all knew the truth: They didn't dare travel in the trees because none of them could control their chakra. Their emotions were raging too wildly to get a grip on the energy within them. So they walked.

"Shouldn't we have seen someone else by now!" Naruto finally yelled in frustration, tearing at his hair.

"Shut up, dobe, or you'll give away our position." Sasuke snapped back.

Sakura, lingering in the back, didn't intervene. Not because she didn't want to...but because she couldn't.

Suddenly, only their mouths were moving--and no sound was coming out. The trees wobbled in feverish waves...everything that was supposed to be thick was thin and the air was so heavy she couldn't breathe...everything thin was too thick...

"Sakura?" Sasuke looked back, alarmed by the vacant look in her eyes.

She saw his mouth move...her vision folding in on itself in a blurry tunnel...

Sasuke lunged towards her as Sakura's body crumpled. Catching her shoulders in his arms, he pulled her close, kneeling to support the sudden drop in her weight.

"Sakura? Sakura?!" Naruto cried, kneeling beside him.

Sasuke pressed his wrist to her forehead, seeing for the first time the tell-tale signs of fever: Her cheeks were flushed and the rest of her face was far too pale even for her complexion.

'Damn it...when did this happen!?' He thought as he shifted her so her head rested against his chest.

And then he saw a trail of blood escape her lips...she had bitten her tongue. But when? That was an old trick for dispelling an illusion but when had she been exposed? The only time she was alone was in their race to the gate...when she had turned back to cover their retreat...

"Shit." He muttered under his breath.

"What is it?" Naruto demanded angrily.

"The Tsukuyomi." He replied as he adjusted her negligable weight on his back.

"Will she be okay?"

Sasuke nodded as he began back down the path, Sakura's warm breath on his neck.

* * *

Sakura woke up in the trees on a particularly thick branch: It was large enough that she could comfortably stretch without fear of falling. Looking over, she saw Naruto straddling the branch next to her, a small pool of saliva gathering underneath him. Glancing up, she saw Sasuke sitting up against the trunk, his arms resting on his knees.

It was late: Probably around midnight based on the sky.

Sitting up, she folded her legs beneath herself and rested her head on the trunk of the massive tree.

Sasuke was beside her in an instant.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. I don't know what came over me." She smiled nervously.

He nodded, pressing his wrist to her forehead again. Pleased to find her temperature back to normal, he curled up beside her, letting her use his lap as a pillow.

"What happened back there?" She suddenly asked, her voice strained with unshed tears.

"I don't know." He replied honestly, stroking her hair even as his eyes hardened like steel. "But I intend to find out."

* * *

They moved at first light. By then they had a loose grip on themselves and were confident enough to risk the trees.

"We move to Suna--they're the only ally we can trust." Sasuke said.

"Agreed." Sakura replied as she flipped herself up onto another branch.

"How do we know they even made it!" Naruto snapped in a moment of uncharacteristic pessimism.

"Because they had to." Sakura whispered back.

TBC


	4. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two: Into the Unforgiving Sands_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!_**

Sakura steadied herself against a nearby tree, wiping sweat away from her eyes with the back of her hand. Her breath came in ragged pants, moisture coalescing in all the wrong places and pulling sand with it into a grit that wore her skin raw where the sludge became pinned between the tatters of her kimono and skin. Vaguely, she imagined Naruto and Sasuke were equally uncomfortable. But she was too miserable to care

The terrain had steadily been fading from forest to desert for several hours. And the temperature increased was in accord with the climate change, as well. The sun blaze mercilessly overhead, the lack of vegetation exposing them completely to its rays. And dressed for a light summer night, they were badly unprepared for the resulting glare off of the sand that baked their skin into a fiery red.

Naruto was, of course, suffering the least. Whatever minor burns his already golden tan skin sustained would be healed by the Kyuubi in a few seconds. That with his natural stamina meant he was having the easiest time. Secondly came Sasuke: Still cloaked fully in his dark robes, the worst burns would be across his pale face. Admittedly, their dark color did absorb heat, so his discomfort was reasonable. But Sakura was outright suffering; her pale skin wasn't designed to hold up against desert sun. And the tattered kimono afforded her absolutely no protection from sun burn or dehydration. In addition, the fever the previous night had already drained her considerably of cellular water.

But she didn't notice. Logically, she knew exactly what her mind was doing---cutting of all thoughts of her children, her village, and friends so that she could focus on the task ahead. Sensory perception was dulled to prevent overload to her traumatized mind, and although she could analyze Sasuke and Naruto with an accuracy Tsunade would have been proud of, she noted nothing of her own condition.

Naruto came next on the list of mental damage: He had fought and bled and cried for that village and swore to one day lead it only to watch it burn to the ground; and possibly with almost everyone he loved still inside.

Sasuke, thanks to years of harsh abuse at the hands of Orochimaru and his natural aloofness, analyzed the situation like he would a chess game. It was a tragedy but if they didn't survive, they couldn't reclaim it.

Slowly, the unlikely trio forced their way through the soil that became more and more viscous to their tired feet until finally all solid ground gave way to sucking, pooling, whispering pools of sand. It pulled at them, dragging them to their knees and offering no substance to aid in their attempts to pull themselves back up. The wind dancing across the grains forced them against each other in a cruel auditory mockery of human whispering and more than once they believed they had heard a familiar voice only to realize it was the dune behind them.

Sakura stumbled, tumbling to her beaten and bloody knees. Her hands splayed instinctively in front of her, the sting of sharp sand digging into her palms a mere itch in the back of her mind. And she simply sat for a moment, staring at her hands as they slowly sank into the sand.

"Sakura..." Naruto began unevenly, his hand reluctantly finding her shoulder.

But she didn't seem to hear them.

And ultimately, Sasuke took her by one arm and Naruto by the other and they gently lifted her onto her feet and they didn't let go, but lead her with them.

Cradling her as best he could, Sasuke felt an unaccustomed pang in his chest. He felt for her---for the fact that _they_ might never see their children again and for the fact that she had experienced firsthand the hell of the Tsukuyomi. And secretly, deeply hidden within himself, he grieved to. But this was not a time for weakness and he felt hatred biting at him. Like he had when she was a genin but he forced his spleen back down and reminded himself they were all damaged. He only had to be strong for now. Because no one could keep Sakura down for long.

After what seemed like a painful eternity, a vast mountain appeared before them, rising from the sands.

The cliff posts of Suna.

But Sasuke didn't get far before he realized something was very wrong: There was no guard...no captains maintaining the border...

And even as Naruto beside him cried out in joy, his chakra rose, preparing for battle...

They stumbled closer, inspecting the corridor of rock. And for all appearances, it seemed normal: No blood stains, weapons bearing signs of use, bodies, or residual chakra trails. Absolutely nothing...

Unsure of what else to do, they moved forward, grateful for the paved ground. The open tunnel before them slowly shortened and they stepped out onto the street several seconds later. And these two were too empty, quite and clean...

"What on earth..." Naruto trailed off angrily, his nails biting crescents into his palms as his fists balled.

"Come here." Sasuke commanded sharply and suddenly several feet away.

For a moment, Sakura wondered why he was staring at a telephone post. But she only had to take a few steps to the left to see why: plastered on it, and every store window, pole, and door, were posters bearing their images and detailed descriptions of their abilities and appearances with a large red WANTED stamped across them.

Sakura bit back a cry of anguish and frustration and hopelessness.

"We need to get out of here..." She stated numbly.

And with horror, her comrade and lover saw the shadows of approaching shinobi dance across the walls.

Without second thought, they sprinted back into the tunnel, their footsteps echoing far too loudly.

Sakura turned, ready to defend. But she felt a hand snake around her obi and she was jerked violently into one of the crevices a moment later, a stone sliding over the crack and obscuring her vision completely. Not far down, Naruto cried out as someone gripped his collar and dragged him into a fracture mercilessly even as Sasuke was pulled in. The crunch of boulders pulverizing pebbles filled their ears, the light fading.

A flicker of crimson and orange blinked to life in the corner, revealing to figures. They were cloaked in brown, their long hoods drawn to hide their faces and their hands hidden from few.

Sasuke snorted, pulling his katana and demanding identification.

"Is that any way to treat the ruling class of Suna?"

The voice was feminine, hard and mocking.

"I agree."

That statement was a cold, but familiar laugh.

And with a flourish the hoods fell away, revealing two smirking Sand shinobi.

"Temari! Kankuro!" Naruto cried happily, breathless.

"I can't believe you guys are alive." Temari stated skeptically.

"What happened?" Sasuke demanded coolly.

"Suna was attacked a few hours after Konoha-we barely made it out of Hidden Leaf and back here. But by then it was too late..." Kankuro replied, his fists clenching.

"Too late?" Sakura asked.

"Look---we have no power anymore. Someone, and not even we're sure who, has completely taken over the Hidden Villages. Whoever they are, they're pulling all the strings. In our case, they have our civilians held hostage. If we make a false move, they die." Temari averted her gaze to the ground, hatred filling her eyes.

"We're risking a lot helping you guys, now." Kankuro continued, "As soon as this is over and done with, we're enemies all over again..."

"You can't do this!" Naruto cried.

"Shut up." Sakura hissed, her cold eyes leveling against his. "This isn't their choice. It isn't personal, Naruto. So just deal with it."

The words weren't even out of her mouth before she hated herself for them.

Sasuke nodded in agreement, his eyes offering the slightest suggestion of sympathy.

"We're sorry..." Temari stated as she threw several packs at them.

Upon opening them, it was revealed they were stocked with food, water, weapons, and extra clothes. In Sakura's was a hair dye kit and for Sasuke a pair of contacts to conceal his kekkei genkai. For Naruto, there was nothing to offer but a stern warning on the necessity of control.

"We have to go. You'll be safe here for the night. After that just stay alive." Temari stated brusquely, her lantern fading into the darkness with her. Kankuro nodded in agreement, hesitating only a moment before following after. But at least he offered one more apology before disappearing.

And a silent promise was made between them: They would fix this...even if it was the last thing they did.

It was a long time after their departure that Sakura felt the tears coming. But she didn't have the strength to fight them or the presence to hide them.

Sasuke, knowing he could offer no comfort, took up a small corner of the cave and sat down. Naruto sat opposite him, rummaging noisily through his pack.

Her tears didn't last long, though. And soon she took her place beside her lover.

Now they had work to do: with their pictures on every visible surface in Suna, and likely many other countries, they couldn't afford to not change their appearances. Rifling through the backpack, she withdrew a black tank top. It was simple with no design, ambiguous and inconspicuous. Pushing aside her inhibitions, she tore off the remainder of the kimono with an apologetic glance at her lover. But he just smirked back, they both knew it had been little more than impulse buy---between them, they controlled the entirety of the Uchiha fortune and an additional fifteen percent of Konoha's wealth.

Sliding the shirt over her head, she slipped the accompanying skirt over it. It was an unusual piece, falling to her knees in the back with pleating across the last eight inches while barely skimming her thighs in the front. It was made of two panels of white cotton, secured by a thick leather belt with a set of biker shorts to slide under the skirt, which otherwise would have shown the entire expanse of her hips and rear. Out of necessity, she kept the gloves Temari had so graciously provided and laced up the combat boots found at the bottom of the pile of clothes.

Beside her, Sasuke had already stripped down and slipped a long-sleeved khaki colored skirt over his head. Beneath it, he wore a pair of light green pants that were secured with tape, the cuffs tucked into his mid-calf boots. His hands were guarded by metal-plated fingerless gloves. Buckled across the shirt was a vest of a similar color but of a design that was only vaguely Suna in origin.

Naruto, concealed largely by darkness, had worked himself into a blue, short-sleeves shirt that fell barely to his waist. His heavy jacket was replaced with a vest, but one that fell at only half the standard to his ribcage. But it still had all the necessary pouches and buckles. His sandals remained, wrapped firmly in gauze. His hands were left unprotected.

But the hardest change was still to come, still lurking in the bottom of their packs: Hitae-ate...of the Sound and rouge variety.

They all knew it was necessary...but it didn't make burning their symbols of loyalty any easier. Especially not when Sakura found herself bearing a Sound symbol across her arm or when Naruto reluctantly donned a Lightning band with one clean slash through the center or when Sasuke tied a Cloud headband across his leg and neatly pushed his kunai through the metal in one straight line...

The fire, fed by their hitae-ate, slowly faded back and died to a nest of lukewarm embers. And the darkness took them.

TBC


	5. Chapter 3

**_Chapter Three: Divisions pt 1_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!_**

Morning came, just as it always did. Though at the time it seemed a foreign concept to all but Sasuke---he had experienced the feeling of bizarreness for months after the massacre. And now it seemed to serve him well. So they awoke, some biological programming that they had forced into themselves as shinobi, and they rose and washed as best they could and ate what little of their provisions they could spare.

Rolling away the boulders, they slipped back into the pre-dawn desert and back into the forest of dunes that would serve to hide them.

Sliding down a particularly large one, they took a moment to reflect and plan: Obviously, the enemy would be looking for them as a trio. So that meant they had to split up.

Already, it was certain that Sakura would go with Sasuke. Perhaps that was the worst of the injustices Naruto would suffer, to be alone and hunted knowing that they at least had each other. But he bore the burden gladly.

Even when Sakura protested that if anything, they should split off into single man cells, he refused. He replied that in his training he often had to survive alone in the wilderness for long periods of time and occasionally even fight off enemy shinobi without assistance. And after hours of arguing, she agreed.

It was decided he would go East, as far from Suna and Konoha as he could. In the meantime, Sakura and Sasuke could go back to Konoha and search for survivors. If they were captured, it was reasoned, they were of little value. But being a Jinchuuriki, he was worth the most and needed to get as far away as possible until a counter offensive could be rallied.

They didn't say much---there wasn't much left to say. Only Sasuke's silent thanks for allowing him his wife despite the hardship it would bring him, and an equally silent vow that no matter what, they would survive if for no other reason than to see each other again.

Jade met blue which leveled against onyx that stared back calmly. And they dissolved in multiple blurs of color and movement.

* * *

Night fell again as the desert slowly gave way to hints of green. It was still cold in the way only a lonely nocturnal desert could be, but at least there was some visible life now.

Slowly, cautiously, two figures made their way into the thin forest, cloaked in black and hooded.

"Sasuke..."

He turned to her in a still response.

Sakura opened her mouth, a torrent of questions and whys threatening to pour forth, and instead she swallowed hard against her questions and muttered, "Nothing...sorry..."

Sasuke nodded, his finger finding her's from the folds of their cloaks and squeezing gently as they pushed forward.

* * *

Naruto slipped through the desert, in a blur that was barely visible to the naked eye. Smirking, he reasoned that if nothing else, the visual advantage a night desert provided out weighted the horrendousness of a diurnal sand prison. Without the heat, mirages were an irrelevant issue and the only thing he needed to worry about was keeping an eye on the horizon for shinobi.

He would go toward Lightning. With their distance and predisposition to suspicion and isolation, they had the best chance of withstanding at attack. And being allies with Konoha, they would be obligated to aid them.

But nothing was as simple as it seemed.

TBC


	6. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four: Illusion of Hope_**

**_This chapter is going to seem a bit random, but I promise its all part of the story. Thanks. _**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! But the plot is mine!_**

Sakura picked through the rubble as best she could, careful to avoid nails, shattered glass and the syringes lying out around the destroyed hospital. The scene was horrific: piles of rubble where building once stood, scorched concrete, and even tattered reminders of everyday life...a doll or a torn picture. Even, occasionally, a spatter of blood...

But most disturbing was the lack of human bodies of any kind...as if the enemy had simply swept them away. And if what Temari said was true, they were likely being held captive...

Shaking her head in a vain attempt to clear her mind, the kunoichi rose from the ground and moved to inspect a sprinkling of crimson against the once proud gates.

It was unusual in several ways: Firstly, it was too small and fine to come from a mortal wound. It was likely the result of a nicked artery or severed vein. Dangerous in some cases, but rarely lethal... Secondly, it hadn't been crystallized by the flames. When blood was exposed to temperatures of a certain range, the glucose crystallized like gory caramel. But despite the char marks around it, it had escaped relatively unscathed. Thirdly, there was no sign of a body or even a trace of a fleeing, albeit alive, individual; nor where there any signs that the individual had fought back...

Her slender, pale fingers traced it lightly, coming away red.

It was fresh...

"Sasuke, come here." She called over her shoulder.

The Uchiha, not three feet off, quickly strode over. Sakura presented her scarlet-stained hand to him and he gently pushed his own fingers into the gore, bringing the stain up to his nose and sniffing delicately. Without a doubt, it was blood.

But closer inspection with his Sharigan revealed trace amounts of chakra. And in a color he was quite familiar with...

"This is Tsunade's." He stated.

"What?!" Sakura cried, despair warping her features.

He nodded.

Sakura sighed to herself---at least she had the conciliation of knowing wounds that produced that particular spatter weren't overtly dangerous. But if her mentor was still alive, where had she gone? It's not like she would have had time to escape detection entirely, even as a Sannin...

On impulse, Sakura crouched down and pushed aside the remaining rubble in hopes of finding some clues at the base of the former gates.

Instead, she found a scroll.

Curious, she tenderly lifted the enamel case from the ground. It was obviously an official document based on the elaborate and complicated glyphs decorating it. And upon pulling the actual scroll free, she realized it was silk and not papyrus. But not even summoning scrolls were silk...

Her green gaze fell to the works inscribed in black ink on the fine fabric. And instantly she knew that only Tsunade could have created it...

The sealing circles around it were all dangerously reminiscent of her forbidden medical scrolls and the number sequences matched Tsunade's favorite sets of lottery numbers. Moreover, it even smelled faintly of the light, sweet sake she preferred to drink.

That was enough to bring the ghost of a smirk to the medic's face. But even before the emotion had faded, she had unfurled the scroll in its entirety and began perusing the document. With the seals, the true writing wouldn't reveal until she could break them. And even after that, it might be encrypted.

Sakura suddenly shook her head, wondering why she was bothering with it when there was so much they needed to do in so little time. It was pointless...likely a future ANBU mission that would now never deploy.

She bit her lip, hesitating to waste time and energy on it...

But it wouldn't leave her alone...it _had _to be important...

Her hands came together in a simple seal and an instant later, they rested flat against the silk. She began pouring her chakra into the scroll, slowly unlocking the gates both visible and invisible.

A sudden rush of energy came over them, whipping her hair back and forcing Sasuke's shirt up his abdomen. The black ink was replaced with gold and the words faded only to be rearranged.

"Sakura!"

Sasuke felt the energy an instant later and knew what it meant. He tried to pull her back but it was too late.

She was trapped in the illusion.

Her limp body slumped forward, his arms easily catching her lifeless body.

* * *

The world around Sakura rushed and dissolved into a blur of color that organized into an exact replica of a training field.

And standing nonchalantly in the middle of those grounds was a smirking Tsunade, one hand planted easily on her hip.

"Lady Tsunade..." Sakura trailed off.

"Not exactly." The blonde smirked, "You see, I'm an illusion Tsunade designed in the heat of battle. It's rather complicated and pointless at the moment. My entire purpose is to direct whoever might find it. But I must say, of all the people, it seems almost too perfect that you'd be the one."

Sakura had no response and so waited desperately for a reply.

"You see, Tsunade knew of a coming attack for some time. But she never expected it to be so soon. In fact, looking back, that's probably why they struck. You know, planting rumors to set a village at ease and then attacking when their weakest. Very foolish on her part..."

Sakura bit back her desire to say, "You mean _your_ mistake?" But it was just an illusion...

An illusion that acted, sounded, smelled, and looked exactly like her mentor...

"The point remains, it won't be safe to stay here for long. So, I would get started towards Sanctum."

"And what is that?" Sakura huffed, exasperated.

"It was to be a future ANBU base but now it'll be your fortress. It lies in the neutral lands between all of the Hidden Villages. A bit sneaky on Tsunade's part, but well advised. You already have the command you'll need to access it."

"What command?!" Sakura screamed---why the hell was this mirage toying with her when so much was at stake.

The make-shift Tsunade strode over, crossing the gap between them in five fluid strides. Bending to meet 'her' apprentice's eyes, she lightly tapped one scarlet nail against the kunoichi's forehead.

"Right here."

And then she bent and in a show of maternity Tsunade rarely showed, pressed her lips to Sakura's forehead. And the world swirled back into a blur of color and when she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Sasuke's blazing onyx eyes.

She sat up in a start, shaking her head to push the reverie aside.

"Are you alright?" He asked in his usual monotone.

"Fine," She replied waspishly, "We need to get moving."

"What happened?" He demanded, gripping her shoulder firmly.

"Tsunade sent a warning from beyond the gr..." Sakura cut herself off mid-sentence. She had no guarantee her mentor wasn't in fact fine. And negativity bred negativity. Belief was a powerful thing...

"You're not making any sense." Sasuke stated bluntly.

"Just trust me. We need to move west." She pushed herself onto her knees and then her feet and slung her pack over her shoulders without a backwards glance.

Sasuke, exasperated and worried, shook his head in aggravation before following suit and allowing her to lead.

TBC


	7. Chapter 5

**_Chapter Five: Memory to Division; Farewell to Fealty part 1_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!_**

Sakura, passing the last destroyed vestiges of Konoha, came across one final, tatter doll. And, as if a sick twist of cruel irony, it bore a shock of pink hair...

Just like Amaya...

Sakura shook her head, physically forcing the memory of her eldest daughter out of her mind. Besides, with it would only follow all the happy memories that accompanied the rest of her children...

But still thoughts, good and bad, drifted unbidden into her mind and stubbornly refused to be banished.

_Sakura flopped down heavily in a hospital waiting room chair, burying her tired head in to hands so exhausted they trembled. Tears flowed to her red-rimmed, jade eyes, pouring down her face and running what little make-up she had hurriedly applied to hide her pallor. Liquefied mascara and watery foundation dribbled onto her lab coat, staining it. And the idea of having to wash one more thing brought more tears to her weary eyes. _

_It wasn't easy to take care of close to three dozen children when only four months earlier she had been a single bachelorette. Between all the cleaning, cooking, feeding, running around, and cuddling they required she didn't have time for anything but missions. And to off-set the exorbitant bills, she took only the most dangerous, and therefore most profitable, missions. Often, she wondered what would happen to them if she didn't come back..._

_Sasuke couldn't be expected to take them. His body had been a tool at the time of their conception and synthetic gestation. He wasn't responsible for her decisions---her choice to keep them. True, Tsunade had tried to find adoptive parents for them, but had failed. No one was willing to take children with even the remotest link to Orochimaru. And, truthfully, even if she had, Sakura wasn't sure she would have been able to part with them. _

_"Sakura?" _

_She recognized that flat, if not somewhat impassioned, voice. _

_Quickly, she wiped away her tears, already formulating some plan to excuse them. Perhaps she could feign a failed surgery..._

_Not the Tsunade put her in the OR often for her sake as much as the patients'. _

_"Sasuke," She smiled, fakely, "It's so nice to...to...se...see you." _

_She hadn't even completed the sentence before her façade cracked. In shame, she hid her face again. _

_But to her surprise, she felt a strong arm come around her, pulling her close. It was awkward, practically sitting in her lover's lap in the middle of the hospital in a dirty lab coat, weeping. But it didn't matter long after that as her arms came around his neck and she sobbed freely into his neck. _

Sakura choked back a gurgling-choke at the memory. He had stayed with her to the end, supporting not only herself, but the children when she couldn't...

The children...

_She could name all of them by the sound of their individual laughter, or, if need be, their sorrow..._

_There was Amaya: The exact image of her mother with the long pink hair and bright green eyes of a goddess and enough skill to back her words when need arose. Already excelling in fire jutsu, she had the best chance of acquiring, genetics allowing, the Sharigan. Her name, given by Orochimaru, was nonetheless fitting for her prowess with senbon and translated to "night rain". (1) She was one of only two in certified cells._

_And Hisoka: He was still an infant, pulled from the venomous green glow by Tsunade herself. Technically speaking, in terms of maturation, he was premature. And by some fluke of nature had inherited hair of the same shade of silver as Kakashi but with brilliant blue eyes. His name, meaning 'reserved' fit his quite, shy personality. But he was a loving child. (2)_

_Satoshi was, sequentially speaking in order of their rescue, next. Already an Academy student with Amaya, though they were in separate age divisions, he proved to be an excellent strategist. Even as a baby, or so Kabuto's reports indicated, he had been clever. Thus, his name was 'quick witted'. He had his father's looks, dark hair and eyes and a pale complexion with a lean build. (3)_

_Takumi was quite interesting to Sai. He had encountered the brown-haired, green eyed boy while he was still recovering from the invasion of Oto. Sakura had been unable to find a sitter for him and had to take him with her when she went to visit. Sai, working on a painting, had been surprised when the toddler reached out and stuck his hand in the ink, smearing it on the bed in something Sai actually found impressive. It had already been decided, as a matter of course, that when he was old enough, Takumi would be his apprentice. (4)_

_Yori, or 'servant of the public', was another Academy-aged and enrolled student. Always kind and helpful, he had gained the approval of his instructors from day one. Though many felt his good nature didn't lend itself well to the life of as shinobi. But Sakura reasoned he could make that decision for himself in due time after experience a few of the D and C-rank missions. Like his father, his eyes were dark. But his hair was a bit off and was more brown that black. He also had acquired a golden skin-tone; Likely from the same genetics that gave Itachi his complexion. (5)_

_Akane was still small and a bit young to be enrolled in the Academy. Little more than eight years old physically, she was delayed socio-emotionally because of her long confinement in the tanks. But youth and time were on her side, and with the proper stimulation, she would be fine in due time. Having developed an early preference for shades of red, many jokingly alluded to her likelihood of obtaining the Sharigan. Her name meant 'brilliant red.' (6)_

_Haruka was young but due for enrollment the next year in the Academy. Her father had already begun teaching her, like the others, basic defense and taijutsu. A bit of an oddity, she was loud and bubbly and boisterous with a forehead that was just a bit oversized. But Sakura had grown in her's and she would, too. Her hair was a hue of pink several shades darker than Sakura's, but she had lovely, honey-colored eyes. (7)_

_Rika, young and with her father's aloof and sometimes cold persona, took on a much more gothic approach to life. Like Amaya, she was sadly able to remember, vividly, her confinement in the Maturation Chambers. Feeling, and right fully so, deprived of a big and important part of her life, she often secluded herself and chose clothing to compliment her ebony hair and eyes. She preferred black clothing with red, if any, design and decoration. Disturbingly, genjutsu was her best subject---and her illusions were alarmingly dark. But Tsunade had been helping her personally and with some measure of success. (8)_

_Sayuri was small, still just a child of, biologically, seven or eight. She was pale with pink hair several shades lighter than Sakura's and eyes to match Sasuke's. Small for her age lack of exercise and interaction while trapped in the Maturation Chamber, had taken a definitive toll on her. And although she was quite smart, it was unlikely she would progress in a shinobi profession. The best hope for her lie in, if any, the medical fields within the base of Konoha. (9)_

_Teruko was a bit of a contradiction in and of herself: She had dark hair that might have been blacker than Sasuke's and emerald green eyes that were a bit darker than Sakura's. She too had golden skin and because of the mix of light and dark in her features, she often appeared sickly or awkward. Her wild mood swings didn't help either. At seven or eight, she was only just experiencing the "terrible twos" syndrome; another effect of the chambers. But as with all of them, counseling, therapy, and time would do most of the corrective work for them. (10)_

_Suzume had been just past the age of an Academy graduate when she was successfully rescued from not the Maturation Chambers, but the 'therapy' rooms where her sister, Amaya, was initially twisted. To compensate for the spectrum of physical, emotional, social, and psychological problems, Kabuto often used harsh training methods and genjutsu to fill in the gaps. She was perhaps the most traumatized of the group and as such was very quiet. But for some reason she had taken an instant liking to Shizune, who responded in kind. Already, she had begun to study healing arts under the aid to the Godaime. The female counterpart of Sasuke, she shared most of his features in feminine reflection. She had a lovely voice though, and she had chosen her name for herself, to befit her lyrical abilities. (11)_

_Hiroaki was still a young boy, no more than a toddler. But he was a bright and sunny boy who loved animals above all else. It was unlikely he would be a shinobi, but he showed an interest in civilian police work. Granted, desires changed with years, but at that point, it seemed likely that would be his career. By yet another genetic fluke, he had blonde hair and blue eyes. But those traits were present, very, very, very rarely, in both the Haruno and Uchiha line. And with all the paternity tests conducted, it was guaranteed Sasuke was his biological father---not that Sasuke had ever doubted it. (12)_

_Takao a thoughtful young man and the eldest of the boys, was a bit of a mystery. Secretive even with his family, he had the appearance of Kakashi---someone who had seen too much of the world too soon. He had very fair hair that bordered on outright white and dark eyes that gave him a haunting appearance when set against his pale skin. But overall, he was kind and even considered elite in his class at the Academy. But he had already alluded to the idea that perhaps he didn't want to be a ninja and both Sasuke and Sakura had told him that they would support him in any endeavor he chose. But he had yet to ask to be dropped. (13)_

_Raiden was a bit arrogant. But in a forgivable way---like Sasuke---because most of the time he could back his words. Most of the time...Still, he was not popular with his class at the Academy. However, he was good with the younger classes and Iruka had taken a special interest him. Iruka, although already refusing to take on an apprentice, agreed to mentor him in taijutsu and basic shinobi arts. He looked a bit like Naruto with bright blonde hair and blue eyes but with lighter skin. (14)_

_Tsutomo was more like his mother than his father. He wasn't great as shinobi arts and taijutsu and ninjutsu proved especially hard for him. But he was only a first year recruit and, like Sakura, had the potential for great growth with the right master. Perhaps out of guilt for the way he treated Sakura as a genin, Kakashi had come to them and actually asked to be allowed to mentor him. Naturally, they had agreed. Interestingly enough, he had fiery red hair and green eyes along with a slightly, but not unhealthy, shade to his skin that wasn't golden but wasn't sallow. (15)_

_Tsuneo was comically similar to Naruto: with black hair, green eyes, and naturally beige skin, he was passionate, loud, strong, and, at time, annoying. But it was his dream to be the next Hokage---how they had sweat-dropped when they heard those words! But Naruto laughed, then stared him levelly and demanded to know if would work hard for that goal. And Tsuneo had glared back, laughed, and replied, "Believe it." So he was officially Naruto's apprentice once he graduated from the Academy. It was still two years off, but an exciting prospect. (16)_

_Ayako, a beautiful young child at, biologically, ten was already a second year in the Academy. She had dark blue hair---not uncommon, surprisingly, in Uchiha females---and cerulean eyes. Sweet and gentle, she could still take down most of her classmates in taijutsu sparring matches and her wind arts were light years ahead of theirs. (17)_

_Kiku, by now genetic stroke of luck was the norm of the family, had lavender hair and deep purple eyes with a sandy complexion. Like Rin, Kakashi's former teammate, she had a love for her team's best man and, for once in the long history of failed love stories haunting Cell Seven, he had taken an interest in her. Being only a graduate student, they weren't even officially certified as a cell. But that would be corrected in due time. But unlike her mother's young self, she had a good grasp on her emotions and skills in weaponry. (18)_

_Natsuko had her mother's vibrant pink hair and green eyes but showed more of Sasuke's prowess in tai- and ninjutsu. She was a first year Academy student but was prone to mood swings set off by the smallest things---rearranging the schedule roster, for example. That was attributed to her time in the Maturation Chambers and Tsunade had told them honestly she might not be able to do anything. But there was always hope. (19)_

_Kohaku looked nothing like either Sakura or Sasuke; with golden hair and honey-colored eyes against a darker skin tone, he looked consistently warm and health. His career was obviously not in field work although he expressed interest in the jutsu research and development departments. Accordingly, Tsunade had asked Ibiki to start working with him. And amazingly the Interrogator had agreed. (20)_

_Yuki was just a child of about nine but with a maturity well past his years. Stoic and somewhat pessimistic, he often had to be pulled aside in class and talked to about his inability to cooperate with their simulation cells. He often replied that he could count only on himself and didn't want the burden of a team. Sasuke often worried, privately, about him but never let it show and most often simply offered a lesson team work or had Kakashi do it for him. He too had silvery white hair but black eyes that made him look sullen and moody---which, most of the time, he was. (21)_

_Yasushi was a quiet, but not unhappy, young man. He had overtaken Takao in rank when the latter had fallen very ill with sepsis following a kunai injury obtained in practice. But with Shizune as his medic, he quickly recovered, just not with enough time to overtake Yasushi. As such, the young man had graduated before his older brother and was now in that year's Cell Eight. He looked stunningly like Itachi and for a long time, Sakura wondered how Sasuke felt about that. But if anything his father spoiled him, perhaps trying to give him the father figure he had never had in his early years. (22)_

_Sho, blond and fair with jade green eyes, he was light and fast and lean. A third year Academy student, he already had dreams of creating his own fighting style. His career was definitely in field work, no matter how much his parents worried over all their children in that dangerous line of work. He was happy and energetic with a fair amount of calculated cunning. (23)_

_Norio was a bit of a pacifist who preferred law and order to the chaos of the field. He had long chocolate brown hair he kept braided and sharp red eyes set against handsome features and dusky skin---perhaps indicative of the Sharingan, but likely not. He had taken a liking to the laws of Konoha and studied them extensively with the hope of being a civilian council member. (24)_

_Kyo was a bit domineering and hated to be called on his decisions. As such, he didn't do well in the Academy and was often in after-class detention for his bullying. Tsunade, however, often assured his worried mother he was actually acting quite normal compared to some of his siblings and even to other children---not that there was a definite norm. Still, he was developing appropriately. With reddish-brown hair and coffee-colored eyes, he had golden skin and a muscular build that lent itself well to taijutsu. (25)_

_Kaede was a vibrant young woman of fourteen with no interest in the Academy or even really shinobi. Her passion was in writing. She was colorful and strong and attended the civilian schools where she attracted the attention of a civilian mentor. Already, she had a book in the works---admirable, Sasuke had said, for a young girl. And her model looks, tall, lean, long fawn colored hair and blue-green eyes, she had a great chance for a peaceful, resident life. (26)_

_Keiko stood no chance in the shinobi world; easily disturbed thanks to a painfully botched genjutsu on Kabuto's part, her days were spent in the gardens of Konoha with the butterflies. She often hacked off her own black hair in frustration and many times over Ino would fix it for her and brush the resulting tears from her gray eyes. But Ino had taken her on, not as a shinobi, but as a botanist as she was flourishing. (27)_

_Mayumi looked similar to Keiko but with much brighter eyes that were more blue. Her hair was kept at her shoulders in a spiky, curling mess. With her lovely white skin, she was quite a sight to the Academy boys. Her fast reflexes and fluid movements lent themselves to a style of archery that wasn't widely practiced in Konoha. Luckily, Kurenai was familiar with it and had agreed to take her on after she graduated. But she was only a first year so that was a ways off. (28)_

_Shinju was a studious little girl of eight who had an intense interest in all things medical outside of usual practice---herbs, organic concoctions, and massage that didn't use chakra. As such, an elder just outside of the village who was good friends with Tsunade and provided many of her organic components had encountered her in the fields one day and after some discussion had gone to Tsunade. She had been quite happy to take on the girl even without Academy training after Tsunade gave her a glowing review. (29)_

_Umeko was a first year Academy student with light blue hair, again not unusual in Uchiha females, and contrasting violet eyes. Despite her gothic appearance, she was quite popular with the Academy males and had a reputation as outgoing despite her opposite-sex shyness. Her field would likely be in weapons, her prowess evident from day one in kunai marksmanship. (30)_

_Yasu was a second year with a leader-ship persona. She never backed down and refused to be coerced into anything. Her hair was light green, surprisingly rather evident in the Haruno lineage before the pink hair genome, that she kept clipped in a fan with ocean blue eyes. Water arts were her area of expertise, for a student. (31)_

_Daisuke was shy and his build was slight and tiny and rather sickly. He wanted more than anything to be a combat medic and was currently working with the hospital division concurrently with his third year Academy enrollment. With blonde hair and silvery eyes that, despite their rather disturbing appearance, could offer worlds of comfort without words. (32)_

_Isamu was a bit cowardly and shied away from battles even in simulation exercises. He had only made it through the first semester before asking to be dropped. Sasuke and Sakura had taken care of it and put him to work with the Kiba clan to learn the veterinary trade. He was doing well and animals had a good affect on him. So he was likely to stay there. He was a genetic albino with stark white skin and pale pink eyes who suffered badly from sunburn even in the winter. But Sakura could easily take care of those. (33)_

_Kazuhiro was about eight with brown hair and one blue eye and one green eye. He had skin that was a healthy apricot tone that off-set his naturally dark features. He was considering entering the Academy but hadn't decided and still had seven months to. (34)_

_Kenta had naturally tanned skin and sandy blonde hair shielding icy green eyes. He was a third year Academy student with prowess in genjutsu arts but very little skill in taijutsu. He would likely only rank to chunin if even that far, unless a mentor could be found. But Lee had already asked to be his, so Sasuke and Sakura had agreed. His "youthful enthusiasm" would be put to good work. (35)_

_Takako was a first year Academy student with short, spiky black hair and bright pink eyes, she was extremely perky and happy. However, she knew exactly how to use that to her advantage and was already being looked at by the Interrogation Unit for future enrollment. Initially, Sakura had flat out refused them...but then her daughter had taken an interest in it. And she relinquished and allowed her to begin studying the arts she would need to know later. Not that she would ever see a prisoner until she was over twenty-one. Still...(36)_

Sakura angrily pushed the happy thoughts back and forced her weary legs forward into the thickening forests. Unfortunately, there was no way to avoid the Forest of Death and they would have to cross it to destroy their trails and to conceal their movements on the off chance an enemy was pursuing them.

Sasuke walked ahead, memorizing the terrain with his crimson eyes before he would move on. He was likely looking for signs of the enemy, as well, Sakura reasoned, though she didn't ask. She had no way of knowing Sasuke's mind was also tortured with memories of his, he dared to hope it wasn't lost, life.

_They cried..._

_That was honestly the extent the Uchiha had with children who still couldn't express their feelings in words. He had never bothered to learn about them; it was irrelevant to an avenger. Or so he had thought. But at the point, he had given up his quest for an actual **life. **_

_And now he vaguely regretted not paying attention in the few civilian classes, health among them, Academy students were required to take. But Sakura was consistenly reminding him that memorizing things and doing them were two very different things. A film could only teach him so much, the rest he would have to learn through hands on experience. _

_Easy. He was an Uchiha, after all. _

_How wrong he had been..._

_Sakura had literally pushed a crying infant into his arms and ran around trying vainly to control the others. By now, she was in tears and the children were crying and despite the older one's attempts to help, it was radically out of control. And here he was, staring suspiciously down at a baby..._

_And just when he was getting fed up with the whole thing, the infant had looked up at him, smiled, and gently pushed his palm against his face, as if he recognized his father. _

_The rest of the world ceased to exist for a moment..._

Sasuke cursed his emotions, forcing them back down into the figurative bottle where he believed most of them belonged.

Looking ahead to his wife, he couldn't help but notice her tightly clenched hands and the unusual flow of her chakra; usually a perfect halo, it was now a jagged delineation. With a forceful breath, he pushed his back into its usual configuration, sending a subtle reminder that she should do the same. And she certainly received it, but she refused to comply.

He was part of the problem! He had no interest in the children! He had probably done what he had did out of obligation...can't have the Uchiha family lineage smeared by an affair that sadly resulted in children! Sakura fumed, silently and privately and the emotions she had believed she had put to rest once and for all rose up like an old wounds that had festered beneath a thin scab for too many nights before infecting the blood.

_"You don't understand, Mother!" Rika screamed in a rare moment of true and unrestrained emotion. Sakura didn't even have time to reply before the door slammed and her angry footsteps faded away. _

_Defeated, Sakura slumped in the kitchen chair, her dinner forgotten. By now, the other children had fled...and for good reason. Rika's fits, though blue-moon rare, were terrible and long-lived. _

_

* * *

_

_Natsuko threw a bowl still brimming with soup at her mother and it was only because Sasuke had pulled her out of the way._

_"Natsuko." Sasuke growled warningly, though it was doubtful she could hear him over her own sorrowful wails. _

_All because the soup was in a green instead of blue-bordered bowl..._

_

* * *

_

_Teruko flailed violently on the floor, throwing a grand mal temper tantrum. In a physical two-year-old, the problem would have easily been solved. But a seven year old had much more strength than a toddler, and her strikes were actually painful, especially the ones that chanced to fall across Sakura's face. _

_Sasuke appeared out of nowhere, easily restraining the girl the girl while simultaneously pulling his wife free of her kicking legs. _

_"Are you alright?" He demanded, still nonchalantly holding the screaming girl. _

_Sakura stuttered a broken affirmation and he nodded curtly before sternly hauling Teruko out of the room and into time-out. Which, surprisingly, was quite effective..._

Sasuke gripped his katana, his knuckles paling with the force of his grasp. He had endured just as much as she had for those children! Maybe more!

'No.' He silently, mentally knocked some sense back into himself, taking a few breaths to calm himself.

_Sasuke felt a smirk tugging at his lips as he watched his daughter perform for the small audience. It was the night before an Academy dance that she was due to sing at. _

_Her lovely soprano rose steadily, the vowels rippling from her tongue in long and beautiful renditions that matched the understated passion of the song. Having struck a perfect balance between the accompaniment and her own voice, she stayed well within the range for a viewer to appreciate both. _

_

* * *

_

_"Good. But you're chakra need to be molded more precisely." Sasuke said, slowly looping his arm around Ayako's shoulders and using his hands to show her the proper seal to release the low-level wind art. _

_"Thanks, Daddy!" She replied, throwing her small arms around his waist. _

_He responded in turn, his face its usual unreadable mask even as he put his arm around her small shoulder. Inside, though, he was quite happy. _

_

* * *

_

_"It's very bright..." Sasuke began, his arms folded over his chest, hands tucked into the billowy sleeves of his shirt as he scrutinized Akane. _

_She had taken to wearing very bright, very red colors but to choose that as garb for even a D-rank, she's stick out like a sore thumb...._

_"Sasuke, it's just a D-rank. Let it go." Sakura smirked, whispering into his ear so their daughter couldn't hear. _

_He nodded, unhappy but brought back to reason._

He took another deep breath, trying to remember happier times without consequently bringing back the bad ones.

"Sasuke...what do you think happened to the children?"

The question was sudden, out of the blue, and there was no easy answer to it. Given their lineage, it was likely that they would be used experimentally...if they were alive at all...

"I assume they're alive." He replied, carefully choosing his words.

"And?" She demanded.

"And what?" He responded.

She reeled, eyes blazing and fists clenched. "You know what I mean!"

"Sakura." He growled, threatening her to back down. This wasn't the time to start fighting amongst each other.

"You haven't even mentioned them yet! Don't you care?" She screamed, tears spilling from her eyes.

"Did you believe I didn't?" He replied.

Sakura visibly blanched, color rushing only to her cheeks. "I can't blame you, I suppose. After all, it was never your choice..."

"I made a choice to be there father." He responded.

"No, you were obligated to make that decision."

"You're being ridiculous."

"Am I? After all, your body was just a tool."

"What are you saying?" He snorted.

"After you...he raped me...well..."

"That wasn't my choice, Sakura." He hissed.

"You made the choice to leave in the first place!"

She regretted the words even before finishing her sentence. Sasuke's eyes narrowed and his hands fell to his side in tight fists.

"So, that's how you really feel?"

Sakura's anger boiled again; heat rising, she nodded.

"Then maybe its best we split." He stated matter-of-factly, his heart breaking despite his calm demeanor.

Sakura's tear-stained jade green eyes stared up into his, her soul clearly damaged.

Hurt and angry all over again, she simply turned on her heels and disappeared.

Sasuke would look out into the forest a long time after before finally turning and heading in the opposite direction.

TBC

888888888

Chapter Notes: Names here have specific meanings and as such here's a short list of ages and name meanings.

1) Amaya---Night Rain, 16

2) Hisoka---reserved, 8 months

3) Satsoshi---quick-witted, 14

4) Takumi---artisan, 2

5) Yori---servant of the public, 11

6) Akane---brilliant red, 8

7) Haruka---far away, 10

8) Rika---valued fragrance, 12

9) Sayuri---lily, 7

10) Teruko---shining child, 7

11) Suzume---sparrow, 13

12) Hiroaki---widespread brightness, 3

13) Takao---respectful male, 12

14) Raiden---thunder and lightning, 14

15) Tatsumo---worker, 11

16) Tsuneo---eternal hero, 12

17) Ayako---color child, 10

18) Kiku---chrysanthemum, 15

19) Natsuko---summer child, 11

20) Kohaku---amber, 13

21) Yuki---snow, 9

22) Yasushi---calm, 17

23) Sho---wind instrument, 10

24) Norio---man of law, 13

25) Kyo---capital, 11

26) Kaede---maple, 14

27) Keiko---spring child, 12

28) Mayumi---true bow, 15

29) Shinju---pearl, 8

30) Umeko---plum blossom, 13

31) Yasu---assertive child, 11

32) Daisuke---great helper, 12

33) Isamu---shy, 12

34) Kazuhiro---prosperous one, 12

35) Kenta---healty, 13

36) Takako---noble child, 14

**Author's Notes: Obviously, not enough time has passed between the children's rescue and this arc for them to have completed all four years of the Academy. But bear in mind, Kabuto was using genjustsu and ninjutsu to speed up their biological clocks while simultaneously training them as ninja. Meaning once they were in Konoha, the older ones were tested to see where their abilities were and too what extend. That means that a few of them can be third-years, for example, without having completed the other two years but having displayed sufficient prowess to have passed the earlier levels. Also, it is important to try and bear in mind the children and the fact that Sakura and Sasuke never asked for a single child, let along the army that was to be Orochimaru's future plethora of hosts. Moreover, I attempted to display the stress of a traumatic event that led to their falling out by creating psychological rifts---it's the body's way of venting stress. Neither meant what they said or did, it was all impulsive. **

**Thank you, **

**YuhiSakura **


	8. Chapter 6

**_Chapter Six: Mistaken Infiltration_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! _**

Sakura sat against the base of a tree, throwing her head back against its trunk in frustration; she had quite possibly just made the biggest mistake of her life...she had abandoned the one thing she still had a world that was no longer, if it ever had been, predictable.

She honestly just wanted to close her eyes and not wake up. But the feeling pass quickly as logic replaced emotion: She needed to find him, apologize, and they needed to get to the Sanctum.

She stood up, taking a deep breath and swallowing what little of her pride was left after her shameful behavior, and pivoted to walk away and back to him.

And the forest opened up like the gates of Hell.

She found herself literally stuck between two warring platoons: one was clearly Oto, based on their hitai-ate. But one of them was cloaked and hooded so thoroughly, she couldn't detect a single, identifying feature. And she was caught smack dab in the middle...

Kunai rained down on her like a lethal, metallic downpour. The hiss of fire jutsu and the whirl of water jutsu filled her ears, wind jutsu making evasion difficult and earth jutsu upsetting her already precarious balance.

Pulling a kunai of her own, she fended off the first clanging wave of weaponry, diving left to avoid a shuriken she couldn't block. Landing hard, she utilized her impetus to roll back onto her feet, parrying aside a kunai simultaneously.

But she noticed that the cloaked platoon was taking risks, using their weapons to force others away that she couldn't...meaning they were allies and potentially even survivors from Konoha. But she wore the badge of an Oto nin now and if they moved to help her, she would be discovered and she would likely die while their small force took heavy damage.

She waved them back, using a signal that looked simply like a clumsy attempted at a parry. It was unique only to Konoha and if they understood, she'd know who they were...

They backed down, shifting back into the trees...

'Someone else made it...they're alive...someone is alive...' She thought happily, barely noting the decreased in launched weaponry.

Still deep in thought, she was startled by the sudden materialization of a hand on her shoulder. She gasped, reeling defensively and bringing her kunai up.

"Easy, sister; it's a comrade." The girl smiled, tossing her reddish brown hair and staring Sakura down confidently with her brown eyes.

The kunoichi immediately disliked the girl's cocky confidence. She found it utterly repulsive...or maybe it was the hitae-ate wrapped around her upper arm.

"I'll take it you were left behind in the withdrawal from Konoha." She continued.

Sakura quickly formatted a plan: If she had been part of the Konoha operation, she could claim that she had been ordered to hunt down the remaining ninja that had managed to flee. And if she knew Orochimaru as well as she thought she did, that would be his course of action.

"I was ordered to stay and eliminate the stragglers." She replied, lowering the kunai and slipping it back into its holster---no need to look defensive in front of her _teammates_.

"Well, good to have you back." The girl smiled as she offered her hand in a friendly shake.

Sakura nodded, clapping her arm around the female's and shaking once before withdrawing.

"Best we get back to Oto HQ; these forests are still crawling with Leaf Nin. And I'm sure Lord Orochimaru will want all of his ninja back in one place for the next phase of the operation."

Sakura nearly asked "What phase?" before remembering she was one of them...at least in appearance...

So she smiled and dove into the trees behind them.

* * *

It was a long way to Oto, and Sakura took the opportunity to survey those closest to her and read them: The fiery girl, Rin, as she had introduced herself, was a bit odd: Her reddish brown hair was held in a ponytail, her spiky bangs falling across her face in layers. Her brown eyes were bright, highlighted by a smear of dark eye shadow around them. She wore simple clothing in a brown hue: a sleeveless, high-necked dress that fell to her thighs with long, dark brown shorts peeking out from underneath. It was belted with a red strip of fabric at her waist, holding a holster against her hips; another rested, naturally, on her thigh. Her sandals had a cuff that rose slightly around the ankle, split on the inner corners for movement's sake and bearing sharp tread patterns. Her sharp, clean chakra signature and its preferential dwelling around her hands suggested either an advanced taijutsu master or a medic.

The male to her right was a silent, sultry individual who wore tight black clothing with no design save for his Oto headband, wrapped around his waist. He had light blue hair and deep blue eyes that graduated from cerulean to a light green. He was admittedly attractive (though not as much as Sasuke) but his chakra signatures were weak and chaotic---he was likely a taijutsu master specializing in blitz attacks.

The woman ahead of her was the platoon commander: an imposing woman with wavy blonde hair and green eyes, she wore a black vest that snapped down her stomach, revealing most of her breasts, which were cased in a fishnet shirt with no solid matter; she also wore a black skirt that was pleated. Beneath those, she wore black leggings with boots laced over them. Her chakra signature was sharp and even with little fluctuation---likely a jonin specializing in fire and water arts.

And if she was discovered, Sakura could be torn apart almost instantly...

* * *

Sasuke snorted decisively as several hooded and cloaked figures surrounded him. And crouch the way they were, there was little doubt as to their intent.

With a grunt, he pulled his katana, electricity already pulsing off of it in waves of blue light.

"Nice to see you, too."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in annoyance as he decreased the chakra flow to the weapon, eventually lowering it and sheathing it.

"Hyuga." He replied.

The first figure threw back their hood, revealing chocolate brown hair and pearly eyes. Beside him, his cousin did the same, smiling at the Uchiha nervously. To her right and forward stood Lee, tall and proud in his usual green spandex garb. Aburame Shino rounded off the small platoon, refusing to remove his secondary hood; he stood silently off to the side.

"I see you're alive." The Uchiha began, leveling his gaze with Neji's.

"Did you expect any less?" Lee asked, flashing a brilliant smile and a thumb's up.

Sasuke growled decisively, moving forward in respect.

"I suggest you come with us." Neji finally stated, motioning for him to follow.

He hesitated...they had caught him during his trek back to find Sakura. And they were moving in the opposite direction...

"I don't suppose you encountered Sakura on your way here." He stated.

"Actually, we did." Neji replied, "She was being shown off by Oto."

Sasuke growled, warning him to up the information.

"She was mistaken for one of their own. But she's smart. If anything, she'll come out with information that we can use." Neji responded, forgetting to mention what her odds of coming out at all actually were.

"We need to find her." The raven-haired shinobi replied.

"To dangerous. And besides, they'll be half way to Oto by now." Shino stated from the background.

"Don't worry, Sasuke." Hinata smiled, "Sakura will be fine."

He didn't reply, instead choosing to simply follow after them.

* * *

Sakura bit back tears as the green veil of the forest slipped aside to reveal a bustling Oto---having risen not more than two years after its fall.

Literal swarms of shinobi operated in its confines, men and women of all national alignments and talents. Sakura even recognized some Lightning nin among the crowds of enemies.

Disgust rose like bad sushi in the back of her throat and she swallowed it back down like bile.

"You." Rin stated, leveling an index finger at her, "With me."

Sakura suppressed the venomous retort begging to be let out and followed after her.

The red-head led her through a smaller, side passage and into an uncomfortably cozy box-shaped room where a single, elderly man sat. Before his was a massive pad of paper bound in red leather with hundreds of small, inked slots bearing names, ages, and nationalities based on Shinobi Nation.

"Give him your name and age. Obviously you're Oto." Rin instructed with a bored sigh, waving her off as she raked her hands through her hair.

Sakura growled in annoyance to herself, stepping up to the Record Keeper, she gave him the fake name Nao Rika---translated into "Docile Fragrance". Figuring she had a better chance at staying under the radar with a relatively harmless name...a much better chance than if she had stated, "Haruno Sakura."

Her age was given as 21 even though she was only 18.

Silently, she gave thanks to Kankuro for his gift of black hair dye and Tsunade for teaching her to rearrange her keirakukei network. If she was careful, she stood a good chance of avoiding detection long enough to figure a way out of her predicament.

Once the recording was done, she followed Rin to the dorms---one of which she would share with the red-headed kunoichi.

She sighed to herself; this wasn't going to be fun...

And then she remembered something Shizune had told her in a moment of cynicism: "A kunoichi's pain _is_ her pleasure. Besides, part of being a kunoichi is being an actress."

* * *

Naruto collapsed in the empty forest, a pained groan slipping from his copper-flavored mouth along with a spatter of crimson. Forcing himself onto his back to make breathing a bit easy, he yanked the remaining kunai from his bruised and bloodied body, throwing them aside carelessly.

'I can't believe even they turned against us...' He thought, panting tiredly.

He has swum from the edge of Lightning over the treacherous night waters to reach a small island, where he had rested. Early the next morning, as he had been preparing to leave that chunk of rocky land, he was ambushed by Lighting Tracker Nin despite being fairly certain he had lost them, using Shadow Clones that dripped relatively authentic blood, to confuse their trails. And it had apparently worked; not even the fox had detected any sign of his pursuers...until it was too late. But, as if by some odd and painful miracle, a storm swell emerged in the middle of the battle, allowing him to escape. Hopefully, they believed he was dead; drowned was the most likely explanation. Admittedly, though, it was odd he _hadn't_ drowned. He had lost consciousness about three miles out and the storm had somehow carried him to the edge of another island he vaguely recognized. But he was too tired to rifle through his mental missions file to find it.

'Foolish boy.' The malevolent voice of the Kyubi pervaded his thoughts. 'I could have told you they would be less than friendly.'

'Thanks.' Naruto replied dryly, thanking the fox privately as his wounds closed over, 'For telling me in advance.'

The demon-spirit laughed good-naturedly...or as good-naturedly as a demon could.

"I never should have left them..." He stated out loud, laying spread eagle in the rapidly darkening forest.

But that was fine by him. He wasn't sure he would be able to run even if they were to catch up with him.

"Your really are a maverick, Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

Sasuke stepped onto the staircase, rolling the fake boulder over the opening behind him.

It was obviously an abandoned, and old, ANBU base. In a relatively high state of disrepair, it was at least still structurally sound. And the gardens, with their artificial sunlight, were still operative; or so Neji had said. But regardless, it was small and supplying for the fifty odd citizens they needed to provide for and protect plus the five ninja that had managed to escape: Neji, Hinata, Lee, Shino, and Kiba.

When questioned about what happened to the others, Lee volunteered that in the aftermath, he had entered the remains of Konoha to find most of them being ushered, citizen and shinobi alike, in chains through the destroyed gates. He had wanted to attempt a rescue, but Neji had reminded him that if he was captured, that was one less person to take Konoha back when the time presented itself.

Still, there were many problems: lack of a medic and useful medication, clothing, clean water, and the inability to completely guard the base were constant threats to their uneasy pseudo-peace.

Silently, Sasuke cursed himself for leaving Sakura. This was her area of expertise and it was clear they were in dire need of someone with jutsu and experience in the medical field. But he was an optimist, surprisingly---there was still (an infinitesimally small) chance that they could rally a counter offensive. And, admittedly, Sakura's sudden introduction into Oto improved their chances greatly. If they were lucky, she would escape, be found or find them, and recount the recon she had gathered.

_If_ they were lucky...

* * *

Orochimaru was growing increasingly irritated with the red veil that constantly clouded his vision and seemed, disturbingly, to be clouding his other senses.

He had known the risk in taking that particular host; but now he was wondering if it wouldn't have been better to simply wait the full three years, take one of the children he rightly full had ownership to (Having commissioned their creation), and use their body rather than taking a chance on damaging his soul by transferring to a body with a similar residual DNA signature. But Kabuto's body decayed so quickly...

He shrugged it off---at the very least, Itachi's body and brain gave him access to hundreds of jutsu that he had copied over his short life-time.

And with them, he had perfected Kabuto's original technique: by using bodies with related DNA structures, he could cut the time between transfers by two years, restricting him to only one year between transfers. Not that he planned to complete one that often---it was painful and slow, after all. But it was a lovely contingency plan to have to fall back on. And if he could use hosts that shared more than fifty percent of the same DNA, i.e. brothers and sisters, the time between transfers was a mere six months at _most_.

It would always be impossible to cut the time completely because it took time for a new soul to integrate with a body; to rip it out before that would damage the soul irreparably and damn him to a long, lingering, malignant death.

And that put a damper on his conquest for immortality.

TBC


	9. Chapter 7

**_Chapter Seven: Violation_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the original characters although 36 are my own creation. _**

Sakura sat up for a long time in the cold, lonely night. She didn't trust herself to sleep; It was far too dangerous: She could talk in her sleep; In reality, that was a likely scenario as stress often manifested itself physically when consciousness was at its weakest; That was, of course, when she was asleep and perhaps even dreaming. And if she awoke suddenly she might give herself away by using a technique on impulse, such as her strength. Or she might lose control of her precariously balanced chakra system---the method she had used to rearrange her keirakukei network was a bit shoddy and hastily slapped together; It would be sometime before she could put a fully functional system together without risking irreparable harm to her entire chakra structure.

And the longer she went without sleep, the greater the physical, mental, and emotional strain would become; meaning, essentially, that her chances of slipping up increased drastically.

There was no way to win.

Her mind, restless, began to wander and again she found herself reflecting on times past and what they might mean for an increasingly dim future...

_Sakura sat in the tree, her legs dangling over the relatively slight branch. _

_ The morning was cold and the sun had yet to burn off the thin mist covering the pale training grounds. The tree's leaves were coated in an icy dew that slinked down her slender limbs as she rested against the tree. The bark was rough against her still tender skin. _

_ Her body was slumped, shoulders hunched and back curved as she thought about the previous night._

_ Of course they were going to have problems..._

_ How could they not given their circumstances? _

_ And occasionally she still found lingering traces of Orochimaru in herself and in him. Small snippets of his presence even though he was widely believed to be permanently incapacitated, if not (she hated to hope this) dead. _

_ Sometimes, a shadow would fall across Sasuke's handsome face, darkening his features to the point she almost didn't recognize him. And such spells were brought on by the smallest things: a certain medicinal smell, a particular pitch, or a specific time of day. _

_ And she found herself sometimes drawing away from him when he neared her, even if was only to pass a bowl or a shaker of salt. And sometimes, when he startled her by accident, she would cry out in a pleading whimper to not **touch **her. And she always deeply regretted these moments, just as he did his own. _

_ But there was nothing they could do but let time attempt to scab over their wounds and maybe fade their scars. _

Cold air rushed into her lungs as she gasped at the sudden sensation of her own tongue tracing her abruptly dry lips.

And it reminded her of **those **days...

_Kissing, surprisingly, was one of the few things that didn't pose a problem for them---perhaps because Orochimaru rarely violated her with his tongue, preferring to use his body. _

_ But those thoughts were always far from her mind when his lips came against her's. And gently, he would part her pale pink lips and his warm tongue would slide into her mouth as her's pushed into his. And they would fall into their usual battle for dominance: He preferred more aggressive kissing, hot and urgent. And though she liked that kind of feigned hostility most of the time, her favorite sensations revolved around tender tracing of the lips and slow tangling of their tongues. And most of the time, he obliged her. But tonight it was her turn to give---but she loved his methods, nonetheless. _

_ But they never pressed far against each other; rarely did their chests even come in contact. _

_ It was too much like **him**..._

Her hand gripped the blanket pooled loosely around her hips and draped across her abdomen. Her fingers grazed the scar there even beneath the pools of material...

The scar he had made...

_She stood in front of the mirror, examining her still shower-damp body. Transparent waves of steam drifted lazily off of her limbs, a towel wrapped loosely around her torso. _

_ She was like most kunoichi: Her body was harder than most women's from years of training and missions. Her curves were sharper and not in the most beneficial way. And her muscles were more defined---not to the point of disgust, but definitely more pronounced than those of a civilian female. _

_ But her breasts, though modest, were soft and shapely. And her hips and thighs were tight and lean and lithe. Her legs were still slender, curved lines beneath her, their shape still attractive. _

_ She wasn't by any stretch of the imagination vain, but she rarely got to inspect herself and tell herself that despite her maternal situation, she was still very much desirable. _

_ The door behind her opened and a thin streak of light falling against her bare back. In surprise, her grip on the towel faltered and it dropped to the floor, pooling around her ankles. _

_ Sasuke stepped in, quickly closing the door behind him to prevent the children from seeing. He himself was quite surprised and rather embarrassed he hadn't bothered to knock. Not, of course, that it was the first time he had seen naked. But never for such an extended period of time..._

_ "Oh, Sasuke..." She trailed off nervously, pulling a blouse from the bed over her body. _

_ But it wasn't her bare sex she bothered to cover or even her pert breasts. Instead, she stretched the crimson tunic across the scar in her abdomen, the whole where he had pierced her medically several times, and once with the intention of killing her..._

_ He stepped forward, then, thinking better of it, backed away and told her he would put the younger ones to bed while he waited for her and that she should take her time. _

Her scars were deep, figuratively and literally and most would never heal completely. They were too sharp and precise for that kind of miracle. But those same wounds meant so much to her. They were the manifestations of her strength and growth. The same wounds that reminded her why they stayed together despite it all...

Because they were both damaged... They both needed time...

* * *

Amaya worked quickly, deftly pulling her sisters' hair back into braids or ponytails. She would have liked to clip back their bangs and the strands that fell loose, but they had been deprived of anything with even the remotest possibility of being used as a weapon or pick. Even the bands in their hair were little more than thread-bare, clipped pieces of weak black fabric.

Beside her, in a line, Suzume and Takako did the same, swiftly gathering the strands in their fingers and looping them together or weaving them collectively into an arrangement that would offer them some measure of protection.

Takako, her bright pink eyes glistening with skillfully suppressed tears, worked Rika's black hair into a short braid that she tucked in on itself before moving to Haruka. The girl's pink locks, like all of theirs', were greasy and slick with oil and dirt.

Suzume, putting her dark nature aside for the sake of her young sibling, sat down beside Sayuri and pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail.

Amaya, moving the fastest of the three, plaited Ayako's dark blue hair and secured it at the nape of her neck with the strip of fabric. Yasu moved automatically in front of her, her pale green hair sweat damp with fear. She might have had the persona of a leader, but she was still just a child...

Amaya pushed away those thoughts and deftly pulled her sister's hair up.

The time was drawing near now...

By now, Takako and Suzume were racing to finish tying up their siblings' hair and adjust their clothing...

The door opened without warning, a dark figure appearing in the frame. A black cloak adorned with red clouds shifted audibly as he stepped inside, set his crimson gaze on Suzume, crossed the gap between them, and hauled her up viciously by her arm, motioning for Kisame (Who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere) to take Umeko.

He smiled toothily at them, yanking the girl's loosely knotted hand from Takako's shirt and dragging her out even as Suzume cried out with an impotent rage at their treatment. Her screams, and Umeko's quiet sobs, died back down the hall with their foot falls, leaving the remaining girls huddled together in a desperate attempt at comfort.

* * *

He tossed her unceremoniously on the hard ground, sending Umeko tumbling down next to her.

A pair of hands yanked her up, holding her protectively close as, beside them, Daisuke pulled Umeko up to her feet and pushed her defensively behind him.

"Now, today I want to see how you do against each other in terms of gender divisions." Itachi stated coolly, moving off back through the door to the observation tower.

They knew the room was wired...and all they could do was convey their horror and guilt through their pained eyes. And then, in silent submission, they moved off to the side and waited for the bell that would signal the beginning of another round...of another fight...

Time stretched until it was almost a relief to hear the bell.

It was always this way; he wanted to make the wait worse than the fight, than the blood and tears...

And it tolled..._finally..._

Suzume cried out, leaping at him with her fist drawn back as he did the same, Umeko and Daisuke responding similarly.

A moment later, a warm spatter of gore fell in a spray against the ground.

* * *

Kenta beat at the walls in rage, his weak fists doing little as the tight skin across his knuckles finally split and his blood was added to the spray against the walls.

His brother, Sho, could do little but watch him and study the cell and pray he one day found a weakness that they might be able to exploit. And with a sad sigh, he remembered how easily even cliffs caved under his mother's fists...But that was useless to them at the moment...

Takao simply sat in the corner, balled up defensively as he thought to himself.

This was why he hated the shinobi world: Nothing was sacred! Not even childrens' lives! And all that mattered was the perceived strength of an army and those individuals in it! It was all so pointless and twisted and unnatural.

"Brother...Takao..." Isamu began hesitantly, nervously stroking the thread bare blankets they were permitted.

Obediently, he lifted his head, his dark eyes meeting Isamu's pinkish-red ones.

"Are we...going to...have to go next?"

"I don't know." He replied automatically.

Isamu nodded nervously, withdrawing back into himself---he knew that he was a coward unfit for battle. And, shamefully, he feared more for his own physical well being than he cared for the fact he would be hurting his brothers and sisters.

And in the meantime, Kenta tried not to feel ashamed that he didn't possess Lee's power and stamina...

* * *

Mayumi paced incessantly in the small cell, her bright blue eyes narrowed in concentration and her fists balled under her crossed arms.

"Rika, Mom once mentioned that overuse of the Sharigan resulted in blindness, right?" She asked, reeling suddenly, but not hostility, on her younger sister.

"I don't remember." Rika replied waspishly (though not unusually).

"Yes, she did." Amaya responded, leveling her glare with Rika's.

"Perfect." Mayumi smiled.

"What are you talking about, you dumb bitch? We're stuck in a cell in enemy territory." Rika replied levelly.

"Shut up." Kiku snapped, waiting for Mayumi to continue.

And the girl paid up: "He's going blind. And he has been for some time. If we can distract Toothy, we have a chance at escaping."

"But not with everyone..." Amaya trailed off, reality dawning on her.

"We don't have to all get out." Yasu stated, pondering it visibly.

"Exactly. Just one or even two of us. Just enough to get help." Mayumi smiled.

"And what do you think will happen to the rest of us?" Rika asked coldly.

Mayumi stuttered out a broken response.

"Exactly." Rika snorted.

A whimper suddenly pervaded the uncomfortable and tense quiet.

Amaya turned instinctively to the sound, Mayumi following very shortly in response.

It was Teruko: She wasn't doing well at all without her mother, and the fighting wasn't helping. She was already on the verge of a fit.

But Kaede was already gathering her up in her small arms, cooing gently to her and reciting simple, funny poetry. But now Natsuko was feeling neglected and had begun to shout.

"Shh." Keiko smiled gently, sitting down beside the girl and playing with her hair.

Though Keiko often injured herself intentionally and often hacked off her hair when she was on the verge of a break down, she was nothing but kind to her siblings. And she had stepped up admirably to meet the challenge of being a mother figure when there was none.

A creak pervaded the sudden, unexpected calm, snatching away the snippet of peace.

They tensed automatically, helplessly and instinctively.

He stepped him, his pointed teeth protruding from his too-wide mouth as he glanced hungrily at them, his sword swung carelessly across his shoulder.

"What do _you_ want?" Rika demanded, honestly hoping to spar her young siblings a beating if she could.

He simply leveled his sword against them, his grin growing, and converged on them.

Through the steel door, their cries filled the hall as their blood stained the walls.

TBC


	10. Chapter 8

**_

* * *

_**

**_Chapter Eight: Twilight Sunrises_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!_**

Sakura slipped over the edge of the bed, rising with the bell to attendance that rang at four in the morning every day. Or at least every day she had been there: three, so far.

And without fail, they would all file out of their rooms, somehow aware despite the few hours of sleep they had scrounged, march to the stadium (now a makeshift war counsel room), fall into perfect lines, have the head counted totaled, be divided into groups, platoons, divisions, or cells and have their orders given to them. Every so often, a particularly strong group would be pulled aside and given their orders in private: A sure sign something was going on beneath the surface of the operation; and that was saying a lot for an operation as massive and detailed as this.

And more often than not, Rin was called aside.

Sakura, already in a precarious state, had to assume they had discovered who she was or were close to it. That meant she might not have much time. And, honestly, the only reason she hadn't attempted to slip away in the middle of the night was because she thought she might have a chance at gathering some intelligence. Intelligence, she hoped, would lead her to her children and maybe even the remainder of Konoha. But if they were catching on to her...

No.

There was simply no way: With her hair dyed, her keirakukei network rearranged, and name falsified, there was simply now way, not after all of Tsunade's training, that she had been detected so soon.

So, what _was_ going on?

* * *

Sasuke sat up, looking out into the starry and devoid night that hung oppressively over the small, sheltered, and very confined base.

He knew they wouldn't be able to stay there much longer: Supplies were running low, food was being rationed in ridiculously small portions, and they had to boil water to cleanse it because the reservoir tanks were empty.

But there was nowhere to go...

Vaguely, he wondered if she was looking at the same sky somewhere. But that was sentimental, emotional thought that only served to hinder him and he quickly pushed it back down in his mind.

Absently, he searched through his bag, hoping to retrieve a canteen.

But his hand came down on a scroll...

Faintly surprised, he withdrew his hand, unfurling the fingers to better glimpse the case: It was fairly elaborate, made of ivory of some sort, and obviously very hastily put together...

Just like the one she had found in Konoha's ruins...

Silently, he cursed himself as he flipped the pack over and realized it wasn't his at all: He must have grabbed her's when they had branched away from each other.

But...she had said something about that same scroll...

Against his better judgment, he flipped it open, letting his eyes fall on the seal painted in crimson---obviously drying blood, at this point---hastily scribbled on the cracking parchment. Chakra leeched into his eyes as the genjutsu began to engulf him, blurring his surroundings and drowning the familiar noises out with an irritating buzz that, thankfully, quickly dulled to nothing.

"Again?"

He turned towards the irritated sigh, his eyes narrowed.

"An imitation of Tsunade." He stated easily.

"I was just over this with Sakura." She snorted, massaging her temple familiarly.

He silently fumed, demanding an answer.

The Tsunade-illusion looked up at him, smiled wanly, and began, "You see, Tsunade suspected an attack for a while. Just not quite so soon. So right before she was hauled off by Itachi, she created me. Basically just a messenger containing coordinates to a base called the Sanctum."

"I didn't know Tsunade was a genjutsu user."

The chimera snorted decisively, "Most medic nin are: Great chakra control, intuitive knowledge of the human body and how to distort senses, the ability to..."

"I get it." Sasuke stated, "Now, those coordinates."

"Don't get uppity with me, Uchiha." She replied, narrowing her hazel eyes.

He glared back, silently reminding her what was at stake.

"Fine," She grunted, "42-65-98-14-65-32."

"Thank you." He replied, smirking satisfactorily.

"You're lucky this is an illusion, Uchiha, or I'd kick your ass for your attitude."

"I'll inform the Hokage." He replied, snapping himself back to reality with a burst of chakra to his eyes.

Reality rushed back to him, the fake field melting to reveal the nocturnal forest in all its eerie, quiet glory.

He smirked: He should have known better than to assume Tsunade didn't have a plan for _every _contingency.

* * *

Neji nodded in approval, Hinata agreeing to his deduction quite enthusiastically.

"There's no doubt; this is Hokage-sama's chakra." He stated.

"When do we move?" Shino asked with his usual straightforwardness.

"Tonight." Neji replied.

Sasuke, in his usual position in the background, smirked and moved to begin packing.

* * *

Sakura swung herself up onto a nearby branch, hooking her legs over the next one over and hauling herself back onto her feet.

Beside her, Rin snapped into another tree, her chakra-powered feet cracking the bark on the trees behind her.

There orders had been simple: Scout the immediate perimeter for signs of enemy activity and, if any was found, find and eliminate the threat.

Simple.

Until it was taken into account that Sakura might have to 'eliminate' her friends and family if she was unfortunate enough to come about them. And if that happened, she had no choice: She would turn on her supposed comrade, snap her neck, and incinerate the body...perhaps in that order, perhaps not...

Faintly alarmed by her sudden, disturbed thoughts, she continued to look straight ahead, wary of snapping branches that seemed to have an odd attraction to her face. But at the very least, it was a healthy distraction.

* * *

Kakashi sat in the corner, his visible eye lazily raking the room with a calm that had his cell mates just about ready to strangle him: Konoha was in ruins, her forces captured, and her last Kage likely dead and he was reading his erotic little orange novel.

And yet none of them could honestly say they were surprised: It was Kakashi...

Kurenai sighed irritably to herself, staring him down with her crimson eyes as if silently ordering him back up on his feet and into a fighting position. But Kakashi was never one to follow the regulation chain of command, let alone the word of someone who, although the same rank, had little experience with such situations.

But he had been in situations like this many times over: As an ANBU, he was regularly captured, tortured, escaped, and returned home. It was simply the nature of such scenarios for him.

But this one bore several key differences: The first being that their cells were made of the same material comprising Kisame's sword. The second was the fact he didn't have even the faintest idea where they were: Itachi had been very careful to have everyone either blinded or sedated before they were transported to their cells. Thirdly was the verity that he wasn't working with jonin and ANBU but with genin and chunin as well as civilians.

Then again, Kakashi was always looking, listening, and waiting.

* * *

Amaya forced herself on her broken arms, a scream tearing through her throat despite her best efforts to suppress it.

Rolling on to her back, panting furiously with excursion, she realized she was alone...

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes: She was alone and hurt and she had no idea where her siblings were...

_Her mom sat up with her, rubbing her back in small, tender circles until the retching finally stopped. She hovered, exhausted, over the porcelain bowl, her throat dry and raw and tears rolling down her eyes---the result of violent heaving. _

_"Here, drink this. It'll make you feel better." _

_Her mother pressed the warm cup into her hands and she raised it hesitantly to her lips: It was a vague green color and looked a bit...lumpy...But she was pleased to find that it didn't taste nearly as poor as it looked. A bit like mint, she thought vaguely. _

_She finished it slowly, downing it in small sips. And for more than an hour her mother sat up with her on the hard tile and rubbed her back and plaited her hair and coaxed more tea into her until she finally fell asleep against her lap. _

_She woke up in her bed the next morning. _

'Kami...I miss her...and Dad...' She thought, tears rolling freely down her bloodied face.

* * *

Yasushi coughed fitfully on the ground, a bitter metallic taste washing sickeningly over the back of his throat. A fine spray of crimson dotted the ground beneath him, more scattering with each painful breath as he tried vainly to gulp air down into his damaged lungs.

_Sasuke hovered over him from a far, silently appraising his aim. _

_But, as always, he found something for the young man to improve upon. In this case, his father gently informed him that the follow through swivel of his wrist was weak and actually rather unnatural given the nature of the joint. He needed to simply go with the innate roll of his wrist and his throw would not only be more powerful, but would allow him more time to return to station and thus give him greater opportunity to draw more weaponry. _

_Then his father ruffled his hair, told him he'd done a good job, and suggested they return home for the day. _

He had never felt as alone as he did lying on that floor...

* * *

Sasuke laid out the coordinates, carefully typing them into the rather primitive computer that ran the machinery of the long-abandoned base. But thankfully the computer at least had an up-to-date mapping system that easily found the coordinates he punched in and triangulated the shortest route between the two distances.

Unfortunately, it didn't take into account the formation of Oto some years earlier. And the path it predicted led them through the heart of Sound country.

There was no way that even a squad of ninja, given their current conditions, could slip by, let alone a group of frightened civilians led by a small platoon.

They'd have to avoid it, adding at least three days to the five day trip, if not more.

And the longer they were exposed, the worse things were.

* * *

Sakura, having returned from the patrol, collapsed on her bed for a few moments before rallying herself back to a kunoichi. It was a small luxury, the extravagance of momentary grief. But she wouldn't allow herself that small measure of relief for some time. It was simply the way she was wired: Tsunade had turned her into a kunoichi capable of survival in almost any situation. And that meant pushing her emotions down when it was necessary.

* * *

"You have no idea how lucky you are." Tsunami stated, her kind voice hiding her real reproach.

"Let the boy be, Tsunami. He's obviously been through a lot." Tazuna stated, chewing thoughtfully on the end of his pipe.

"Ah," Naruto protested good-naturedly, "I'll be up and around in no time!"

Tazuna nodded in silent approval, a smile playing on his elderly lips.

But the peaceful calm of the light-hearted moment was shattered when the door to the cabin slammed open, splintering the plaster behind it as Inari scrambled inside, shoving the door closed with his ineffectual shoulder before seeking refuge behind his grandfather.

"It's them." He whispered fearfully.

"Who!?" Naruto demanded, forcing himself into a sitting position.

"Shut up!" Tsunami hissed as she grabbed him and shoved him into a small alcove in the wall before unceremoniously tossing Inari in with him. Sliding the make-shift wall over the recess without a word, she pushed a bookshelf over the opening, a pitiful attempt at hiding it, before sitting down with her grandfather and nonchalantly sipping at her tea.

About a minute later, the door was forced open again as several Oto nin stepped in, each bearing an official seal from their lord and demanding they be provided their weekly taxes: a few pounds of food, several blankets, and as much money as could be found.

Withholding anything was punishable by death on the spot.

"Over in the corner." She hissed, resisting the urge to chuck the kettle of hot tea at them.

"Insolent bitch." One of them scowled.

"Leave her. She'll serve us yet." The other smirked, letting his eyes fall across her body before gathering their dues and leaving.

It was a full five minutes before Tsunami allowed herself a full breath and another thirty before she pushed aside the bookcase and freed her son and Naruto.

"Sorry about that." She smiled sheepishly as she helped the Uzumaki lay back down on the pallet.

"Sound nin? Here?" He asked.

"Our government was overthrown not long after Fire's." Tazuna replied. "We've been living in fear ever since. Just like when Gato was in power."

"Not for long." Naruto replied, his blue eyes hardening.

* * *

"I can't afford to have them die. Send for medics." Orochimaru ordered from behind his façade of Itachi.

Kisame smiled toothily, nodding before exiting down the hall.

Orochimaru sighed to himself: This was getting troublesome. He had been fighting them to the breaking point for days and they showed no sign of developing the Sharingan. And yet it was impossible that not one of them _didn't_ have it. If Itachi was alive, he would be horrified.

Realizing it was almost inspection time, he quickly made himself presentable.

The observation tower door slammed behind him a moment later.

* * *

Sakura dutifully took her place beside Rin as the final whistle to inspection was called.

Admittedly, she was horrified that he had this many ninja; let alone this many shinobi and kunoichi conditioned to do his every bidding without free thought of any kind.

One of the self-protective limitations of shinobi came from their abilities: It was dangerous to a nation to have an army capable of such destruction without having to first consider that if one day the army rebelled, and there were many cases of such scenarios, they would be destroyed first. This meant by their nature, a shinobi force could only grow so large before someone attempted, and occasionally succeeded, in usurping it.

But this force exceeded that number by at least three fold, if not more.

At this point, she had to assume that they were either loyal to a fault to their nations, or being manipulated.

And that actually wouldn't be quite as hard as it sounded: The right genjutsu, even at a very low level, could easily do the trick. Or a simple dosage of certain medications in their daily rations. Even the right ninja within the ranks could easily manipulate the entire group through careful psychological procedures.

Deep in thought, she hadn't even realized the inspection had begun until Itachi was standing directly in front of her.

She startled to, bowing deeply to him and waiting until he gave the order to rise.

As he did, he began to scrutinize her: He checked her eyes, ordered her to demonstrate a high kick, and tested her muscle tone with his fingers before nodding, apparently satisfied.

He was turning away when a scuffle within the group caught everyone's attention. Several bodies flew into the air, stunned ninja backing from their carefully orchestrated lines as a shinobi hacked his way towards Itachi.

"DIE, YOU BASTARD!" He screamed, leaping up at the Akatsuki member and bringing his blade down.

Sakura inhaled sharply in surprise.

In an instant, she knew what she had to do: If she was truly loyal to this organization, she would defend its leaders to the death. Admittedly, she never believed that Orochimaru and Itachi would join forces, but it didn't matter anymore. They had and she knew what she had to do.

She stepped to the side, drawing herself up to a better position as she watched him. He cart wheeled left, rebounding off the nearby southern wall as he hacked through the last few lines of resistance. Spinning left, he split one more in half before leaping at the wall, chakra gathering in his feet to give him added momentum.

With a cry, he leapt at Itachi's back.

Mildly surprised the Uchiha hadn't tracked the attack, Sakura shoved him aside roughly as she pushed off in the opposite direction. But the Uchiha caught his balance and turned to face his attacker. But Sakura was already on top of him, slashing at him with a kunai.

He ducked left, her kunai meeting air as he attempted to sink his short sword into her side. But she was faster, spinning left and avoiding it entirely as she landed a kick to his back.

Unfortunately, she couldn't use her full strength; she'd be identified instantly if she did.

So she reverted to the Principle of Opposing Chakra: This basic Academy student teaching stated that when two ninja struck with taijutsu, the blows were naturally devastating because their opposing chakras clashed. That, combined with their increased muscle mass and speed, made for devastating attacks. And that meant she could use a certain fraction of her true strength.

But as the blow landed, she realized her hastily reconfigured chakra system was weak, and the blow was little more than enough to make him stumble. In retaliation he swung back at her, his sword coming dangerously close to her stomach. Instinctively, she flipped back, gathering her balance as she landed and charging him.

Startled by her brazen recklessness, he brought up the sword on impulse rather than skill. Clumsily, Sakura ducked under it, her leg extending behind her to balance the attack as her fist pushed through the weak cross guard of his arms and under his chin, sending him sprawling.

Pulling back just enough to pull the sword from his hands, she spun, letting it fall at her feet as she landed a devastating round house to him.

She put enough in it to snap his neck: It was the fastest alternative she could offer him; for his betrayal, he would face torture, experimentation, and interrogation before finally being executed.

She prayed he'd forgive her.

As his limp body fell to the ground, she landed back in a crouch.

She exhaled evenly.

But there was more still for her to do: Slipping back into the crimson-spattered mess that was now the remains of almost a quarter of a row (roughly thirty shinobi), and knelt down beside the most critically injured that still had a prayer of survival. Her hands worked automatically, chakra gathering in a fulsome orb as her mind worked through the processes necessary to saving her.

She didn't know how long she spent on the kunoichi before switching intuitively to the next, then rising from them and returning to those still alive and so on until her chakra was drained and her half-conscious body pulled from the floor by Itachi himself.

Panic rose sickly in her throat: She had responded impulsively...no, instinctually---the way any medic would have. It was simply the way they were trained...it was drilled into them until it was simply _first _nature...breathing became second nature to healing...

She had just given herself away...

"Impressive." He stated simply, motioning for his personal medic to carry her to the infirmary.

"See nothing disturbs her until she is completely recovered." He ordered.

Relief overtook her so suddenly, she didn't remember closing her eyes and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

Sasuke ushered the people through the base in a single file line as Neji led them from the front and Hinata guarded them from the rear.

It would be nearly a fortnight before they would be even remotely safe again.

* * *

A full day passed before Sakura's eyes fluttered open and she rolled onto her back in an attempt to bring herself into the realm of wakefulness. She failed miserably, sighing gently as she fell back on her side and her eyelids slid down and her breathing leveled again.

Several hours later she finally succeeded in rousing herself, pulling herself up and stretching to bring blood back to her limbs. She felt refreshed for the first time in a week.

She knew that she hadn't betrayed her true identity and, more importantly, she had gotten in Itachi's good graces.

"Good to see you among the living."

Her head snapped automatically towards the voice.

It was Itachi; standing not more than five feet from her with his hands tucked into the billowy sleeves of his crimson-cloud-and-black-background robes.

She blushed, her arm crossing her chest as she realized someone had bothered to change her into a rather sheer chemise that barely skimmed the top of her thighs. And, admittedly, though the blanket spread across her lower body covered her to the top of her stomach, she felt suddenly exposed.

"M'Lord." She replied politely, averting her gaze for her sake as much as for her feigned respect.

"You have caught my interest, kunoichi." He stated simply.

"Thank you." She mumbled.

"I wish to utilize your services to a greater extent."

"I'm a tool to be used as you will." She stated, remembering and grasping at the emotion she felt for Tsunade when she had said the same words.

"Good."

* * *

Naruto slung a pack over his shoulders, now laden with food and what few weapons Tsunami had managed to scrounge together. Flashing them the peace sign, he turned on his heels into the dark and livid night---a good sign: the creatures of the forest wouldn't be so active if humans were lurking nearby.

He'd have to hurry; the next patrol was in only fifteen minutes. But that was enough time to slip by unnoticed without risking evidence to be found.

His first step was interrupted by a muffled cry as Inari sprinted at him, latching onto his leg.

"Come back." He begged, eyes filling with tears.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Naruto winked.

"And...you'll save us...right?"

Inari, of all people, understood the need to defend yourself and those you loved. But this threat was too big for a small civilian village...to great even for the powerful militaristic nations...

"You better believe it."

Inari smiled, pulling himself from the adolescent's leg as the tears finally spilled over his lids and ran in opaque trails down his face. He smiled despite the tears, holding up his fingers in the same sign as Naruto turned away and faded instantly into a blur that disappeared into the thin trees.

* * *

The night fell heavily over the Oto complex and an eerie calm took the place of the usual bustling river of shinobi in their war preparations.

She didn't let it visibly faze her, though. Part of her job was to be the world's best actress and fit the role of her given assignment. In this case, a random ANBU medic who just so happened to be found near Konoha and claimed to be part of the Oto invasion force.

'No fear...' She told herself resolutely as he came to a stop before a key panel, punched in a few strokes, and watched the door slide aside.

The hall was initially dark, flares lighting as they entered---likely motion sensors, she reasoned as she trailed in after him.

She took a moment to take in the scene: The hall was wide, made of concrete but with huge, black, glass-like panels every fifty feet. These were overlaid with steel-like bars and a massive lock held by cement cylinders and chain feeds bolted to the wall with massive metal pins. The mirror-glass-barrier things were glossy and dark but she couldn't see through them.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Itachi's sudden statement, "Here you are. You are to begin work here on them immediately."

The lights came on within the glass panel closest to her as the steel bars pulled away to reveal a young woman laying in a spray of gore...her pink hair trailing messily behind her...

TBC


	11. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine: Chemical Reactions**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! **_

Sakura's teeth bit deeply into her tongue, blood flooding her mouth in a bitter, copper sea. Tears of rage welled in her eyes and chakra coursed unbidden to her fists and feet. Logic screamed for control but her heart screamed for revenge.

Instinct saved her: Tsunade had at one point mentioned that emotions were simply chemical reactions that resulted in biological responses. So on a recon or intel mission, one could easily keep their cover by suppressing those chemical responses. And she had forced Sakura to practice that technique until it was second nature---like rearranging her keirakukei network.

In a fraction of a second, she was cursing herself for not feeling more and praising herself for managing the jutsu without the hand seals.

"I have to ask you to step out; your chakra signature is so powerful it conflicts with mine." She stated, hastily slapping an explanation together.

But it seemed to please him and he nodded, stepping back through the sliding doors.

She quickly peered around, taking note of the cameras placed in the walls before she stepped up to her daughter. Taking her in her arms, she cradled her against her chest and whispered into her ear.

"It's me. I need you to be quiet. Pretend like you don't know me. And don't tell the younger ones---they won't understand. I need you to do this for me, Amaya; I promise I'll get you out but I need time if I'm going to save all of you."

Even in her delirium, Amaya nodded, understanding fully the need for secrecy.

"Good. Now, they won't recognize me. So don't betray my identity when I move to heal them. Just stay down: fear me like you would an enemy medic."

Sakura closed her mind with that small gesture; a medic always learned to compartmentalize their feelings and thoughts…it was the only way they survived…and even now in this desperate situation she was more a kunoichi that a mother. Maybe, perhaps, she would feel shame for it later. But now she simply needed to do her job: heal.

* * *

Hours later Sakura stumbled into her chambers and collapsed on the bed, her skin pale and clammy with excursion and her muscles trembling with exhaustion.

She didn't even realize she had fallen asleep until the bell the next morning roused her.

* * *

She knew what she needed to do: she would gain his trust, get close to her children and run…and…and then she didn't know. But maternal instinct was overriding logic and would be her downfall, she knew, if she didn't get out soon…

"You are required again."

Her head snapped up, her eyes lowering even before she saw the flash of crimson that were his.

"Of course." She replied, following him mechanically.

* * *

**Ten days later**

Those words sent chills up her spine, sent the bile in her stomach roiling and drained the blood from her hands and face. She swallowed back against the urge to be sick where she was and forced her head upwards, suppressed her emotions so they wouldn't rise through her eyes.

"Our plans have finally come together. We will move very soon. Prepare ranks."

Sakura disappeared in the resulting chaos of the dismissal and made herself very readily accessible: Itachi would want at least one more exam for his…protégés before their march. That was her only chance…

And, as predicted, he sent for her less than an hour later.

She came…as commanded and set to work, exaggerating their injuries to bide her more time. And he left…as he always did…

"Amaya!" She cried quietly as soon as the door shut, "We're getting you out of here. Tonight."

The girl nodded, her eyes begging for detail.

"I can't heal all of you. So I'll heal the oldest. You guys will have to help me carry the others."

Amaya nodded, Satoshi, Suzume, Raiden, Kiku, Yatushi and Mayumi drawing closer. As the oldest among them, they bore the responsibility of five other siblings…but for freedom that was a light burden.

Sakura smiled weakly at them: they had one chance…if the smallest thing went wrong…they were dead…all of them. With that, she reached through the bars and took their hands as they formed a circle, clasping their fingers around each other's. Sakura closed her eyes and an ethereal green glow from them.

* * *

They carried the badly injured or sick. Sakura held the two youngest: Hisoka held him against her chest in a make-shift sling while Takumi rode on her back. Behind her, there was a file of children…no, young shinobi ready to follow orders for their sake as much as anyone else's.

Sakura took a deep breath, eyed the vent above them, and motioned for them to go. The grate clattered to the floor...Multiple blurs dance past her into the vent and she followed, pulling the metal mesh plate over it after her.

Thankfully, not even the youngest cried…as if they sensed the need for silence.

* * *

Hours passed…somehow, miraculously, before Sakura heard even the faintest bearing of an alarm. But she had set it up to be so…at least she found a small measure of victory in that…

Or, at least she did…until she saw the storm clouds gathering overhead and knew that every elemental manipulator was forcing all of their chakra into conjuring a massive blizzard…

He would force them back…or they would die…

But that wasn't an option…Sakura gritted her teeth; was it an option or would her pride be the fatal blow for them all?

* * *

Sasuke's keen eyes saw the clouds gather unnaturally in the distance.

He motioned to Neji, silently informing him he would catch up with them in very short order---this needed to be investigated.

"We're twelve hours from our designation North north east." Neji reminded him as he got the caravan moving gain.

* * *

Sakura collapsed against a tree, trying to catch her breath without laying any weight on the children clinging to her. Behind her, the older children struggled against the wind, the weaker of them collapsing with the strain of their excursion coupled with the stress of carrying the sick and injured.

* * *

Sasuke smirked to himself as trees passed by in barely discernable blurs on his peripherals; Kakashi, for all the annoying nuances he possessed, at the very least had imparted valuable knowledge to him regarding the inner gates.

Even so, the wind and weather were slowing him considerably. His hand fell into his shirt, pulling a single purple pill from the folds of his clothing. He tossed it into his mouth, biting through the shell and letting his chakra levels peak.

* * *

Tsunade screamed at him, cursing him in every language she knew and every bodily motion she could muster in her position: strung up with her arms and legs wrapped in chakra seals, another painted in her own blood across her abdomen.

"You won't get away with this!" She shrieked, writhing against her bonds.

Itachi smirked, running his hand across her jaw, "And will _you_ stop me?"

"Release me and I'll kill you!" She screamed.

"Dear Tsunade," Itachi smiled, running his tongue across her cheek, "I already have."

"Or…Orochimaru…" She trailed off in acute horror.

"Who else?" He replied, running his tongue along his lips.

* * *

Kurenai beat on the cage bars until her hands were bloody and even Kakashi made vain attempts at their cage.

"No!" Kurenai yelled, tears running down her face.

"She's strong…they both are…if anyone can do it…it's them." Kakashi assured her weakly.

"Are you sure, Kashi-kun?"

His head snapped up, his visible eye widening.

* * *

Sakura fell forward, a pair of strong arms coming across her.

"Sasu…Sasuke!" She cried as he smirked down at her.

"We'll talk later." He said, reverting immediately to his paternal 'mode', "Everyone hold hands."

"What are you doing?" Sakura demanded weakly.

"Getting us out of here." He replied simply.

Her hand came across his shirt, pulling him close as she whispered furiously, "It's too far!"

He shook his head, biting into the military rations he had kept in the back of his mouth.

"Concentrate you chakra." He ordered, cradling Sakura against him as their children formed a ring around them. A glow rose from them in ethereal green, red, yellow, and blue, swirling around them as a flame worked up from them, engulfing them.

* * *

Kakashi's Raikiri tore through the remaining cells that he could reach, the gaping hole in the wall behind him allowed the freed ninja to flee into the wilderness. They all moved for the next largest collection of familiar chakra signals: hundreds of miles off in the distance, detectable only because of the sheer size of it.

He fled, as well, as the doors began to cave under the assault of the Sound nin beating at it.

Beside him, an attractive red-head crouched down beside him and propelled herself into a nearby tree.

"I never expected to see you of all people again." He stated.

She just smiled, winking at him.

TBC


	12. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten: Affirmations **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!**_

_**THIS CHAPTER IS RATED 'R' FOR A REASON. FOR THOSE WHO OBJECT HERE IS THE RUN-DOWN AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW: SOUND IS ATTACKING, THEY HAVE NO HOPE, AND THEY WANT THIS ONE NIGHT. AGAIN: GRAPHIC LEMONS. **_

_**Note: This is my first attempt at a lemons, please be kind in your reviews. **_

Sakura only remembered waking up in an infirmary, she wasn't even initially sure where. However, Hinata was kind enough to give her the run-down as she arranged her blankets.

"So…he did come…" She trailed off, fighting the tears that threatened to spill over her face.

"Of course." The Hyuga replied; without a doubt, she knew one thing: Sasuke loved Sakura.

"Where is he?" She asked.

"He and the children are still recovering. Sorry, no visitors just yet." She replied apologetically.

Sakura sighed, throwing off the blankets and rising despite Hinata's weak protests. Continuing to ignore the girl, Sakura slipped off her hospital robe and selected more appropriate attire.

"You really should rest, Sakura." Hinata stated feebly as Sakura snapped her boots on.

"I'm fine, thanks." Sakura said as she rose and stepped out of the infirmary.

* * *

She wondered the corridors of the massive compound, greeting those she recognized and even some she didn't. She wanted to get a feel for it, for its weaknesses and strengths and any tactical advantage it might give her: the windows were small, few, and very carefully placed in halls that were devoid of rooms. But the outer walls were perfect for adhering to…

"Good to see you up."

She turned on the flat monotone, greeting Neji with a bow.

"How are you feeling?" He asked in a tone that strongly suggested he was asking out of formality than actual concern.

"Better." She responded.

"Good. Now, we have serious matters to discuss."

Sakura nodded, following him down the next hall and into a heavily secured room. Inside were several large computers, each with a massive screen, as well as several dozen maps and charts spread across the single table.

"Now, this is hardly the terrain or situation we're used to working in." He stated.

Sakura nodded, indignation rising up before she could beat it back down---she knew how serious the situation was, how could he insult her by implying otherwise? But she held her tongue.

Neji pulled up several specs on the screen in front of her that detailed the layout of the fortress: it was basically a massive city inlaid and carved from the granite that comprised the mountain behind it. Literally, a city carved from the bedrock. It had a massive wall before it with battlement posts cut into it. Just behind that was a wide platform for the defenders to stand on, with several other rows behind it, allowing for circulation of troops. There was a citadel that fed directly into a massive room and the compound was connected to a complex underground system of tunnel and channels in the event they needed to escape. Already, the civilian population was hiding away in those caverns.

But the entire base was also a series of cupboards, closets, and cabinets, all of which were packed with weapons, medical supplies, and the like.

"Now, we have roughly twelve hours before Sound strikes based on scouting reports." He stated.

"And our shinobi population?"

"At best we have fifty." He replied, "Counting genin."

Sakura closed her eyes in despair, massaging her temple as she prayed to every god and goddess she could think of.

"We have no chance." She finally stated.

"Perceptive." Neji replied.

"Don't." She snapped.

He sighed, nodding in resignation; his own fear was making him irrational and cruel, he realized.

"We're Konoha." Sakura stated, "If there _is_ a way, we'll find it."

* * *

She wasn't even really sure how she made it through the rest of the day, but she did. She must have lost hope and found a way to wrestle it back thirty-seven times. She met with every adviser she knew of, from Shikamaru down to the Chunin-level genin they selected for combat. She inventoried their stock of medical supplies, ensured the kitchens were able to feed the shinobi and prepare battle packs for them that would contain nonperishable, light foods to keep them going along with a canteen of water and a small vial of military rations.

She helped the civilians move their belongings down to the caverns and helped rig traps in the forest several hundred meters from the fortress itself. She visited her children when they were well enough to see her and even tried to talk the commanders out of using the few old enough to fight, but naturally, her children protested even before the hastily put together Council could.

"Mom, we're shinobi. We have as much right to fight as you do." Amaya told her.

"Agreed." Yasushi added.

"Exactly." Mayumi agreed with a smile.

"Besides," Kiku added, a flash entering her plum-colored eyes, "They need to pay for they did to us."

"And I'll make them." Sakura assured them, hoping to talk them out of it.

"And what fun would that be?" Suzume asked.

Sakura sighed, nodded, and kissed them each before leaving---they had been chosen for the talent, skill, and the current physical condition…it was business; no, it was war…but that didn't change the fact that they were hers.

* * *

Sakura slipped into her room hours later, thoroughly exhausted, and slid on a lacy slip she found in the closest, likely compliments of one of the civilian women who had donated their extra clothes and the like to the shinobi so that those who didn't return at the very least spent their last night in comfort or meaning.

She fingered the delicate white cloth as it fell against her thighs, sighing. She turned to the bed, made in clean sheets and laid across it, picking up a novel she found on the nightstand. She opened it, but didn't really read it…she just wanted a visual distraction, something to focus on so her thoughts wouldn't wonder.

But when the door opened, her head snapped up automatically.

She inhaled sharply, resisting the urge to spring up. Absently, she laid the novel aside, rising slowly on her feet as she moved towards him in disbelief.

She reached out, afraid she would phase right through him if she touched him…but her fingertips met with the warm, supple flesh of his cheek.

"Sasuke…" She trailed off.

He just pulled her into an embrace that ended far too quickly as he moved off to the side of the room and began shrugging off his shirt. The white fabric threw back an orange light and Sakura turned her head to the small window that filtered air into their room, realizing for the first time that the sun was setting low in the horizon.

She smiled…even to the end, Tsunade had ensured they would have the advantage; the early morning sun would blind their opponents until they were in range of Konoha's own attacks and hide the compound from someone viewing the mountain from the forest.

She drifted to it, pushing aside the curtain to gaze back into the fading pink light.

She didn't hear him come up behind her, only felt his arms come across her stomach and pulled her close, his head resting on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, leaning her head against his.

"I am, too." He replied.

"Can you ever forgive me?" She asked, tears spilling hotly onto her cheeks.

"There's nothing to forgive." He replied, his lips working against the flesh of her bare shoulder. He moved up her arm, pressing his lips sensuously against the curve of her neck, his tongue running along the flesh to the sensitive skin just behind and below her ear. She shuddered with the sensation, throwing her head back to better expose the skin.

His hands worked down across her hips, running along the outside of her thighs, pulling the hem of the slip up slightly.

"Sasuke…" She stated breathily as his hips gently worked against her from behind. She needed this…_they_ need this, needed to physically affirm their love…because they might not have a second chance. They needed to forget, to simply be…to _physically_ forgive each other.

She turned suddenly in his grip, pulling him close and wrapping her leg around his as her arms came around his neck. Her lips pressed against his in fiery passion, their tongues fighting for dominance. Her pelvis arched as he leaned against her, his arms on either side of her slender body.

They moved slowly towards the bed; they wanted to do it right…because it might be the last night they had. He slid onto the bed carefully, leisurely as she pressed herself against him, straddling him and allowing him to pull them both onto the mattress.

She sat up, her hands running along his bare chest. He smiled, slowly lifting the slip over her head. He tossed it aside carelessly the next moment, his hands coming to her hips for a moment before sliding up her back and unclasping her bra.

He smirked at her seductively, flipping her over in one clean motion.

"Tease." He stated playfully, kissing her passionately as his free hand slid her underwear off. Obligingly, she pulled her leg up, shortening the distance and exposing her bare sex.

"Would you have me any other way?" She replied as she very careful traced light tracks with her nails across his stomach, creeping lower and lower.

"Never."

She smiled as she pushed is baggy pants away, allowing him to discard his own underwear.

He positioned himself carefully, his left arm bearing his weight on her right side as his right hand slowly lifted her thigh. She passionately wrapped her leg around his waist, urging him forward.

But he hesitated, enjoying the expectation of the moment to come. His hand ran along her clasped leg, teasing her sensitive nerve endings. The moan it induced was absolutely intoxicating.

He leaned forward, his nose mere millimeters from her own as he stared into her emerald green eyes. She stared back into his, her hand running along his sculpted jaw line.

"I love you." He stated simply.

"And I love you." She replied.

He smiled, easing himself into her warm core. She shuddered beneath him, moaning with the penetration. He paused, allowing her to adapt to the intrusion. She was so small compared to him that it always took her several seconds to adjust to his size.

But she didn't want to wait; she wrapped her arms around his neck, "Keep going."

He nodded, thrusting slowly upwards. She threw her head back, emitting another breathy moan. Her other leg came around him, holding him against her as he continued to thrust. They were deep, slow, powerful…

"Sasuke!" She cried as he lifted her pelvis, granting him a much deep angle.

She arched her hips even further against his, moving in tandem with him. Her hands fell away from him, gripping the down blanket around them. Sasuke smirked slightly, knowing she wouldn't last much longer.

"Yes?" He replied seductively.

Her statement was cut short by her vocalization of pleasure as his speed increased, his pelvis rotating in a motion that propelled her close to the edge. Her back arched in eager response, her stomach pressing against his own as he finally drove her to climax.

She shuddered beneath him, swiveling her hips against his pelvis in an attempt to prolong the powerful sensation. She soon collapsed backwards, panting for breath.

Her eyes fluttered open, meeting his own hungry, dark orbs. He leaned in close, his hot breath caressing her ear, "You didn't think you'd get off that easy, did you?"

Sakura shifted back against the bed, allowing him to position himself above her and enter her again.

She cried out slightly with the sensation, her flesh sensitive and swollen but receptive to the welcome intrusion. She pressed against him, allowing his arm to come around her and draw her up. She moaned loudly with the next thrust, the angle of their bodies making it impossible for him to push upwards without moving down first. The mingling, mixed sensations were even more intense than they had been, waves of physical consciousness cresting over her body.

Moving against him, she brought her lips to his neck, kissing him passionately. She moved her arms around him, gently coaxing him down as she rolled on top of him.

He collapsed back, his hands gripping her hips as she swiveled her slender hips. Rocking against him, she leaned in against his lips, her tongue moving in perfect unison with her pelvis. In tandem, he thrust up against her, the combined effort pushing both of them to the brink.

Her tongue traced lightly against the outline of his as she swayed with his body. And just as quickly, he had rotated her and was again on top.

Her legs again came around him, clasping him close to her. Her hands ran down his back, sweat making the glide that much easier. He shuddered violently as the sensation, his body jerking.

For some reason, the pink haired kunoichi below him found it…exciting. Her hand came down, teasing him where they join and slowly working back up his finely sculpted abs. His back arched in response, driving himself even deeper into her. Her hand came down and around his leg, moving back over his thigh and the barely perceptible curve of his hip.

He hissed at the sensation, trying to suppress the moan in the back of his throat. He gave a shuddering exhalation as her nails dragged lightly across his back and tangled in his raven-colored hair. She dragged him down gently but forcefully, her tongue sliding hotly against his neck and up to his lips, catching him in a passionate kiss.

She wasn't even entirely sure when he moved, but the next moment she found herself pressed flush against the wall, his hips working actively against hers. The sudden rush of sensation was so overpowering she could only emit a high keen as he thrust into her, his pace growing with his need and her excitement.

Her spine arched with the next movement, driving her lower body deeper over him. Her hands moved down, seeking substance. They smoothed across his back, coming down over his rear and catching just below it.

"Faster…" She cried incoherently.

He was all too happy to oblige, his penetrations growing rougher and more electric. Each sent waves of pleasure through her, her own body acting without conscious thought in fervent participation. The next push upwards sent both of them in sporadic fits of physical bliss.

Collapsing back against the wall, Sakura wiped the resultant sweat from her forehead, smiling at her lover as he did the same.

"Kami…" She breathed as she pushed away from the wall and toward the bed.

He came from behind her, her knees buckling and sliding onto the mattress with the painless impact. His hands came over her shapely breasts, gently cupping them and squeezing them playfully. The sensation was so unexpected and intense she cried out, arching her back and bringing her sex into perfect alignment with his. He thrust upwards, the dual contact extracting feminine whimpers of pleasure from her lips.

Her arms wrapped around his hips, the motion deepening the penetration. She felt her belly coil in anticipation, the thrusts hitting her innermost nerve ending and sending her spiraling into climax. She shuddered, the sensation traveling to him. He hissed, drawing breath as quickly as he could, sweat pouring down his body. She rode him in perfect rhythm.

They mutual cry a moment later reverberated through the room and when Sakura could think again, she wondered if they had woken anyone. But she heard the moans and panting, however faintly, coming from the other chambers.

Exhausted, she fell against the bed, his body buckling beside hers. He turned as he crumpled, gathering her lithe body into his arms and pulling her close, drawing the blanket across them in the same motion.

"I love you." She whispered, turning her head to meet his lips.

His passionate response was answer enough, he knew, but he still uttered those three words softly in her ear as she drifted off.

TBC


	13. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven: The Morning Of **_

_**Disclaimer: Yes, I have original characters in this story. But all original Naruto plots, characters, affiliates, and such belong to Master Kishimoto-san. By the way, whoever get the battle scene right (I got it from a movie) gets serious props. **_

Sakura roused herself, dressing quickly and stocking her weapons. As she left the room, she glanced at the space in the bed that had been empty since she opened her eyes and sighed.

* * *

Sakura took her place on the battlements, glancing the hundreds of feet down and across the open expanse to the all-too-quiet forest. The sun was shining behind them and Sakura smiled: Tsunade had given them every advantage she could---the sun would blind their enemies, assuring Konoha at least a few moments of an upper hand gain.

Something shuffled in the forest and they prepared to fight.

But it wasn't Sound…it was Naruto and Kakashi---leading a group of shinobi.

* * *

Sakura crossed the distance between them in three strides, gathering both Kakashi and Naruto into her arms as she bereted them for not showing up sooner.

"We missed you, too, Sakura." Naruto assured her.

Kakashi just smiled, his eye creasing before saying, "I think there is someone you should meet."

Sakura pulled away as Kakashi pulled a red-head from the crowd.

"You!" Sakura cried, anger rising quickly, "The commander of the Oto platoon!"

"In name only." The girl assured her easily.

"Sakura, Rin was assigned to my original cell." Kakashi told her.

"You!" Sakura gasped, immediately offering an apology.

"Don't worry, I would have reacted the same." She replied off-handedly, "You see, Tsunade had me in there years ago as a spy, working my way up."

"Well, why didn't you help them sooner?" Naruto asked.

"I needed some commotion. Which you, Sakura-san, so kindly provided." Rin stated with a wink.

Sakura smiled, blushing slightly, "You do what you can, right?"

"Right." Rin replied.

* * *

Once they were safely back in the make-shift city, they convened to add the new shinobi to their ranks. And, naturally, it was Neji who took control.

"Kurenai-san will lead our genjutsu platoon, Kakashi-san, I want you to lead the jonin squads. Gai-san, please look after the genin squads. All water users to the east wall, fire styles to the west citadel, wind manipulators to the battlements, earth styles to the lower levels."

With their newest assignments, Sakura broke from the group to check with the kitchens. They had been cooking rations for hours, but they needed to be packed and distributed, along with the basic medical kit: gauze, tape, pain medication, and a synthetic charcoal to draw out poisons.

* * *

Hinata saw Naruto walk by the infirmary and before she could stop herself, she had called out to him. Naturally, his head popped in through the door, his bright blue eyes questioning.

"Uh…I…well…" She stammered, blushing.

"You know, Hinata, I've been thinking." He suddenly stated.

"About?" She asked.

"Well, here we are and we could all die and I've just been thinking…"

"Yes?"

"About you."

She wasn't sure if she had just died a little inside or just been resurrected.

"Yes…?" She stuttered weakly, heat rushing into her cheeks.

Naruto's hand cupped her chin, gently tilting her face upwards and allowing his lips to press against her own.

* * *

Sakura stood on the battlement, the impending battle weighting heavily on her. The forest was too quiet, the sky was too dark, the wind was too thick…even her own heartbeat had seemed to coagulate. Her pulse beat urgently in her slender neck, and she could feel the adrenaline saturated blood filtered into her tense and ready limbs.

"It's not too late." Sasuke stated gently, "You can still go with the children."

Sakura hesitated…she could easily give them a day, a week…maybe even a year. But of what? Hiding from the sunlight, jumping at their own shadows? No…she would fight.

"You know what I'm going to say." She said with a wry smirk.

He nodded, cupping her jaw line in his hand and bringing his lips against her own.

"I love you." He told her simply.

"And I love you." She said.

In the end, was it so bad that that was all they had? No, she decided, it really wasn't.

"They need you to say something." He added, nodding towards the clearly frightened shinobi around them.

"What?" She asked, "Why not Naruto?"

Sasuke snorted.

"What about you?"

"They won't have it." He replied.

"But you're of Uchiha blood."

"And a traitor to Konoha." He responded.

She opened her mouth to protest but his finger came across her lips, "They need you, the person closest to Tsunade, to speak for them."

She hesitated before nodding.

"Good." He replied.

Sakura glanced at a battlement, deciding its height was perfect. Stepping forward, she laid her hand against the stone, allowing Sasuke to boost her up.

"I'm not very good at this kind of thing," She began, smiling in her embarrassment, "But I think it needs to be done. We all know…we all know the odds aren't good."

There was quiet murmur of discontent and acknowledgement.

"But we're Konoha! We will win because we don't have the option of failure! Today, when the clouds finally break, we know that the skies won't rain water, but blood. And it will _not_ be ours!"

Sakura didn't even really stop to think how out of character she sounded, how far out of her depth she was. She was a weapon of Konoha, a tool of her Kage---that was the life she _chose_.

"Now, let's get out there and kick their sorry asses back to hell!" She concluded.

Sasuke reached up, taking her arm and helping her down.

"There's some fight in you yet." He smirked.

"Would you have it any other way?"

"Never."

"You know they're looking to you now." He added.

Sakura didn't stop to think about the huge burden and responsibility that was, "I know."

"And your first order?" He asked playfully.

"Kiss me." She replied evenly.

He smirked as he pulled close, his fingers twining in her hair and for a few seconds, the hundreds of scared shinobi around them disappeared and the world sank into the sensation of their tongues battling for dominance.

* * *

The earth shook, vibration rocking the stone fortress…they were coming.

"Are you ready?" Amaya asked her brother and sisters as she unfurled two hand fans.

"Ready." Yasushi stated simply as raised his scythe.

"Of course." Mayumi smiled, her bow leveling against the ground, an arrow tip gleaming in the sunlight.

"Bring it on." Suzume sighed impatiently.

Kiku just nodded, her hand unfolding to reveal a small flower.

* * *

"Sasuke…you know what to do." Sakura stated simply as a sudden, massive wave of black washing onto the ground below them.

"Go." He stated.

Sakura vaulted herself over the wall, dropping several hundred feet. Chakra surged to her feet, cushioning the impact by shattering the earth around them. Startled Sound Nin were sent flying into the air, where Sasuke and his division dispatched them with well-placed kunai.

Sakura scrambled back up the wall, dodging weaponry and attacks the whole way and barely throwing herself over the wall in time to avoid a fire style.

* * *

"Konoha! Strike them down!" Kurenai cried, her hand tied in the seals she was performing.

A collective cry of a joy rolled behind her, genjutsu weaving and descending on the first rows. Waves of expertly released chakra hailed illusionary death, pain, and fear. They laced layers on top of each other, chakra spiraling in a dangerous dance around all of them, all of it expertly coordinated for maximum damage.

* * *

"Show no mercy." Kakashi stated as he flicked his wrist.

The temperature around him rose noticeably, orbs and spirals of fire raining past him and down on the enemy.

"Platoon Two!" He cried.

The shift between the rows was effortless, and the next moment torrents of water poured down upon the armies below them. The tidal flood pushed them back as the next row shifted.

"Now!" Kakashi stated.

The now soft, pliable earth beneath the enemies' feet jutted up, engulfing them, impaling them, crushing them, and suffocating them.

"Finish them!"

The air around him swirled, buffeting the opposition below them so violently several were simply tossed off of their feet.

* * *

"Twin Rising Dragons!"

Neji knew the cry well, and knew the flashes of silver that accompanied it. Cries of the stricken carried above the din and added to the adrenaline pulsing in his veins, the hunger for blood that had long since taken hold of all of them.

He was a close-quarters fighter and longed for the feel of enemy flesh caving beneath his chakra, the spurt of blood that meant he had severed an artery, the gurgle of the dying…

* * *

Sakura surveyed the battle, playing defense to the metallic downpour of weaponry that was falling on them constantly. Dancing left, she deflected a shuriken, catching a kunai in her now free hand and tossing it back into the fray below her.

All and all, the tide was in their favor. The enemies' numbers were working against them, making it easy to take out multiple platoons with one strike.

She was beginning to think there was a chance of victory…when something cold shimmied up her spine. Her eyes flickered irrationally to a blur in the mass of blurs below her…to the orb in his hands.

"No!"

She heard her own cry, felt her body collide with those around her as she tried to push them back, tried to reach him. But she already knew she was too late.

The deafening blast threw her several feet in the air and back as the wall crumbled beneath the force of the explosion. Comrades and enemies alike flew around her, thrown by the concussive force. Through her fading vision, she saw Sasuke slide back, his arms crossed over his vulnerable eyes. TenTen flew past her, colliding jarringly with the broken rock seconds before Sakura did.

Faintly, she wondered if she would ever open her eyes again with the enemy pouring in like water through a broken dam.

* * *

"Now!" Amaya cried, leaping down from the battlements and scrambling over the destroyed rock that luckily formed a makeshift ramp. Her fans unfurled, and with a twist of her wrist, she was sending lethally honed currents of air into the tide of enemies breaking close to her.

Kiku bounded next to her, throwing her arm back and releasing a haze of razor sharp flower petals that were propelled deep into the ranks by the wind currents Amaya was generating. Each shredded flesh, sinking itself cavernously into the body, into the soft internal organs.

Yasushi shifted suddenly into focus, his scythe's blade extending on a chain that he made full use of. With a pull of his arm, he wrapped the chain around the neck of the nearest enemy, the blade sinking into a kunoichi three people down.

Suzume appeared beside him, a blur of motion and arcs of crimson blood. Her high, melodious voice directed massive attacks at the systems of those foolish enough to draw close. Ruptured eardrums destroyed their balance, shocks from her voice at close range ruptured organs, and her weapons training was coming into full play.

From the background, Mayumi's bow sang, the arrows made even more lethal by the chakra she manipulated around them. A single bolt would fell three men two ranks in.

They were just genin, true, but together they were taking out jonin as though they were weak classmates.

* * *

Sakura heard the cry of her children and was instantly alert. Still hovering in midair with the force of the blow she had sustained, she quickly sighted a bare patch of concrete. Arching her back, she brought her feet down first, sliding hard against the rock before finding her footing and leaping over the wall.

She hadn't even hit the ground when she found herself surrounded by Sound shinobi. They turned on her, one thrusting a kunai at her stomach. Panic rose in her throat and her vision went _red_.

"Go to hell!" She screamed, twisting in a roundhouse that knocked them back with enough force to render their limbs from their torsos.

She landed with her back to the remaining forces, spinning on her heel as chakra gathered lethally in her palms. Even those a foot back where sliced by the blades as she flitted through the enemy ranks.

* * *

"Watch closely! This is the power of burning youth!" Gai instructed the slightly stunned genin behind him as he bounced around, taking enemies out in the way a building might be taken out by a wrecking ball.

"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Lee called needlessly from behind him as he executed a perfect Leaf Whirlwind.

"NIGHT PHOENIX!" Gai cried, matching the fire art with his flawless taijutsu.

Lee smirked as he kicked an enemy's hand away, rotating on his arm to kick his legs out from underneath him. In the next motion, his legs were aimed at the heads of the semicircle of Grass kunoichi around him.

* * *

The bloody scroll snapped back into its shell, resting easily on Kakashi's thumbs as he performed a set of seals so quickly, his hands disappeared to even trained eyes. In the next instant, it was embedded in the earth, a small rumble emanating from the ground beneath the Rock ninjas.

"Earth Style! Fanged Pursuit Jutsu!"

At the command of their master, the ninken erupted from earth in a mass of teeth and swords.

As they took care of the first round, he lifted his headband. The Sharingan flashed red, taking in everything around him. Calculations were completed, jutsu were recognized, and he _moved_.

He smirked beneath his cloth mask as several opponents foolishly made eye contact. Chakra seeped from him directly into their brains, a genjutsu woven so covertly they had no chance of stopping it.

'Death Mirage!'

* * *

Sasuke flipped his sword up and over, parrying the short sword that flickered to his left. With a powerful kick, he forced the owner back, ducking under a set of shuriken as he spun on his heel, disemboweling the Grass kunoichi to his back.

The next break fell over him so densely he had room to do only one thing: Chakra coursed to his skin, electricity pulsing off of him in brilliant blue arcs. He smirked, raising his chakra fueled katana as he leapt back into the mass.

* * *

"Come, then!" Neji cried, spinning as chakra poured from him in a rotating orb of destruction. Using the impetus of his own Rotation, he slid into the mass, his hands moving, chakra flashing from the fingertips.

The Byakugan pulsed white, their chakra systems becoming clear to him and him alone.

He smirked, executing fatal strikes in seconds---faster, sometimes, than the enemy could see or even detect him.

* * *

Kurenai erupted into a haze of red maple leaves, stunning the commander who was certain he had killed her.

"Where is she!?" He demanded of his subordinates.

"You don't want to play with her."

He turned on the new voice with a new-found aggression. A kunai snapped into his hands as he eyes her.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"Me? Just a kunoichi for Leaf." She replied, running her tongue along the head of the snake wrapped around her arm. Eerily enough, it responded to the 'kiss' with an affectionate weave of its own.

Anko lashes out, snakes pouring from her sleeves and coat, venom dripping from their fangs as they burrowed into the ranks before her. It was over before they could even cry out.

Kurenai appeared behind the Special Op in a cloud of crimson maple leaves.

"Oops, did I over do it?" Anko asked playfully.

"Not at all." Kurenai responded, tossing her ebony hair.

* * *

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Fog erupted over the field, clearing to reveal hundreds of Narutos. As if by their own will, they paired off in threes, two spinning the orb of chakra the third would wield.

Lacerations of luminous blue tore through the ranks like massive claws. Rasengan in the shapes of shuriken, orbs, and even daggers throbbed dangerously as the enemy was literally blown away.

"Believe it!" Naruto cried as he leapt into the fray.

* * *

Rin tossed her head and laughed as they closed in, the expression on the commander's face falling with the sound. Her brown eyes narrowed dangerously, twinkling with some hidden flirtatiousness that was downright sadist considering what she had planned for them.

Her arms flowed in front of her, her fingers flexing gracefully.

"Is that the best you have!?" The commander demanded, fearing heightening his voice audibly.

Rin ran her tongue across her shapely lips as they sprinted at her, running into the razor sharp lines lashed in a protective cage around her. Their torn corpses piled at her feet as she walked into the remaining fray, the cage maintained around her by her chakra.

* * *

"Gentle Fist!"

Hinata's small and vague cry was the only warning the platoon had before she tore into them. Faint blue chakra swirled briefly around them as the kunoichi moved, closing off chakra points.

She lacked the skill and precision of Neji, necessary for a death blow. But she could render them helpless for the wave following behind her.

* * *

"Akizakura Haze!" Kiku spun as she spoke, hundreds of petals emanating from her open palms. For a moment, they hovered in an orb around her, and then shot into the enemy ranks closing in on her brother.

"Twin Wind Blade Dance!" Amaya's hands came over her head, clapping her fans together as she rotated on her heel. Chakra spiraled upwards over the weapons, coating each as she dropped her arms and sent the jutsu into the mass around her.

"Scatter Shot!" Mayumi's arrow pierced the sky, shining silver before suddenly breaking apart into no less than thirteen more bolts that rained down around the enemy.

"Blade Works." Yasushi twirled the blade, the chains separating to reveal multiple, smaller curved daggers that he quickly sank into those nearest him.

"Fantasy Cry." The high pitch of Suzume's voice wavered easily and hauntingly, capturing a select few in her auditory illusion. Their sense mixed and faded, knocking them into unconsciousness that was followed shortly by oblivion.

* * *

Neji spun easily, collecting the shuriken caught in the ripple of chakra and flinging them back in the next rotation. Dancing back on his heels, he leapt up, landing a punishing blow to the shinobi next to him. Flipping easily, he performed a flawless Juken that threw the corpse back into the next fray, scattering them.

Shino, close by, merely had to finish the stragglers with a wave of his insects.

* * *

Naruto lashed out clumsily, his fist catching under the jaw of the man and sending him flying.

"Oh, yeah!" He yelled, pumping his fist a moment too soon. A kunai flickered past him, missing disemboweling him by a few centimeters. He stumbled back with a cry, righting himself in time to trip up the next kunoichi that charged him.

He spun, bringing his leg into the next person (he didn't bother noticing who), before running haphazardly back into the mess.

* * *

"Leaf Whirlwind!"

The cry was eerily unanimous as Lee and Gai tore into the same patch of ninja. They were quite the pair of…well, bounciness, actually…

The genin had to do little except watch, occasionally toss a weapon or two, and pray that if their sensei didn't make it, they didn't get stuck with Gai…

* * *

Sakura lashed out with a vicious backhand that sent her opponent flying. She took the punch that came at her, rolling with the impact to bring her legs right back into the offender's jaw. Landing back on her heels, she quickly righted herself and flung a shuriken at the man foolish enough to dive at her from above.

Kicking up, she disarmed the kunoichi charging at her from the right and brought her leg around, decapitating the next person over.

* * *

Sasuke glanced over the battlement and was pleased to see the remaining forces were retreating.

No…no…they weren't, he realized suddenly…

They were moving aside…for a cluster of figures cloaked in black and red…

TBC


End file.
